The Economics of AI
===================

**Why Smarter.** Smarter charges every token to the user, application and account that used it,
and its budgets turn spending limits into enforced controls. Business, economics and management
students can measure the real cost of an AI application, rather than estimate it, and weigh it
against quality.

**Read.** :doc:`/smarter-platform/cost-accounting`, :doc:`/smarter-resources/smarter-budget`,
:doc:`/smarter-resources/smarter-provider`.

**Exercises.**

- Run the same set of tasks on three models from different providers. Record the cost, the
  latency and a quality score for each, and recommend one.
- Write a business case for an AI application: what it costs per user per month in model charges
  and in infrastructure, and what it saves. The infrastructure figures in
  :doc:`kubernetes` are a realistic starting point.
- Design a budget policy for a department: who gets how much, what happens at the limit, and who
  is warned before it is reached.

**Course plans.** Three complete, ready-to-teach plans, each with a schedule, graded assignments
and rubrics, two capstone projects, recommended texts, further study and technical prerequisites.
See :doc:`course-formats` for what the formats have in common.

.. toctree::
   :maxdepth: 1

   Classroom bootcamp: 8 hours <ai-economics/bootcamp>
   Two-week online course: 6 hours <ai-economics/two-week>
   Four-week online course: 12 hours <ai-economics/four-week>

See the :doc:`Smarter Instructor Guide </smarter-instructor>` to install Smarter and set up
a class.