specification: FinOps Framework
specificationVersion: '1.0'
schema: https://www.finops.org/framework/
provider: xAI
providerId: xai
created: '2026-05-08'
# Provenance stamped 2026-08-11: this artifact was written by the API Evangelist
# bulk sweep dated 2026-05-08, not harvested from the provider. See roadmap#35.
method: generated
modified: '2026-05-08'
reconciled: true
tags:
- AI
- LLM
- Foundation Models
- Grok
- Generative AI
- FinOps
- Cost Management
- FOCUS
description: >-
  FinOps view of xAI API spend. Billing is usage-based, charged per token
  (input/output, with cached-input discounts) per model, plus per-call fees for
  built-in tools and a Batch API tier offering 20-50% discounts. Spend is
  reported on the team-level invoice in USD.
notes: >-
  Per-model token rates are subject to change; verify current rates against the
  xAI Console Models page when reconciling.
sources:
- https://x.ai/
- https://docs.x.ai/docs/models
- https://console.x.ai/team/default/models
- https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
alignedWith:
  framework: FinOps Foundation Framework
  frameworkUrl: https://www.finops.org/framework/
  dataSpec: FOCUS
  dataSpecVersion: '1.3'
  dataSpecUrl: https://focus.finops.org/focus-specification/v1-3/
publisherName: xAI
serviceCategory: AI and Machine Learning
billingModel:
  pricingCategory: Usage-Based
  billingFrequency: Monthly
  billingCurrency: USD
  chargeCategories:
  - Usage
  - Purchase
  - Adjustment
focusColumns:
  ServiceName: xAI API
  ServiceCategory: AI and Machine Learning
  ProviderName: xAI
  PublisherName: xAI
  InvoiceIssuerName: xAI
  BillingCurrency: USD
  ChargeCategory: Usage
  PricingCategory: Usage-Based
meters:
- name: input_tokens
  description: Tokens sent in the request (prompt) per model.
  unit: tokens
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - team
  - model
  - api
- name: cached_input_tokens
  description: Cached-input tokens billed at a reduced rate when prompt caching applies.
  unit: tokens
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - team
  - model
- name: output_tokens
  description: Tokens generated in the model response per model.
  unit: tokens
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - team
  - model
  - api
- name: tool_invocations
  description: Calls to built-in tools (e.g., Live Search) priced per 1,000 invocations.
  unit: invocations
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - team
  - tool
- name: batch_tokens
  description: Tokens consumed via the Batch API at 20-50% discount.
  unit: tokens
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - team
  - model
- name: image_generations
  description: Image generation requests (per image / per resolution tier).
  unit: images
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - team
  - model
- name: video_generations
  description: Video generation requests (per video / per duration tier).
  unit: videos
  aggregation: sum
  dimensions:
  - team
  - model
principles:
- name: Visibility
  description: Pull team-level usage from the xAI Console and join with invoice exports.
- name: Allocation
  description: Tag API keys per workload/team and map back to internal cost centers.
- name: Optimization
  description: Route non-realtime workloads through the Batch API for 20-50% savings; use cached-input tokens where prompts are reused.
- name: Accountability
  description: Assign owners per team and per API key; review monthly token burn vs. budget.
maintainers:
- FN: Kin Lane
  email: kin@apievangelist.com