04 · How Models Run
Inference
Running a trained model
Running a trained model to produce an output. Every prompt-response interaction uses inference; for heavily used products it can become a major recurring cost, while the balance between training and serving costs varies by system.
Concrete example
Each reply a chatbot gives you is one act of inference, with a real per-query cost to whoever runs it.
Why it matters
Where most of the ongoing cost of an AI product actually lives.