The old model was cheaper batch processing. You could simply move your LLM calls to an async model, wait 12-24 hours, and save 50%. This allowed the providers to load shift. That doesn't work in the agentic world though, where a session can have dozens or hundreds of calls that have to go in order.
this is consistent with the hypothesis that OAI is desperately trying to figure out productive ways to token dump off peak
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