Volcano Engine Makes AI More Affordable With Major Price Cuts

At yesterday's Volc Engine FORCE conference, President Tan Dai announced sweeping changes that could transform how businesses adopt AI technology. The headline news? Significant price reductions across their AI offerings, with some models becoming nearly half as expensive.

Visual Models Get Smarter, More Versatile

The Doubao visual model family received substantial upgrades:

• Seedream4.5 now handles complex commercial tasks like multi-image compositions and virtual try-ons
• New Seedance1.5Pro video model synchronizes audio perfectly and handles multilingual dialogues
• A draft sample feature lets developers test concepts quickly and cheaply

"These aren't just incremental improvements," explained a Volcano spokesperson. "We're talking cinematic-quality output that understands nuanced creative direction."

Breaking Down Cost Barriers

The newly launched AI Savings Plan adopts a "more you use, less you pay" approach:

• Applies to all pay-as-you-go large model products
• Tiered discounts scale with usage volume
• Potential savings reach 47% for heavy users

This move comes as many businesses hesitate over AI adoption costs. "We're removing that friction," Tan Dai told attendees.

Ecosystem Expansion

The platform also introduced:

• Doubao Assistant API for more natural business interactions
• Real-time information capabilities
• Simplified integration processes

Industry analysts see this as Volcano Engine positioning itself against competitors like OpenAI and Anthropic in the enterprise space.

Key Points:

• Doubao model prices reduced by up to 47%
• Enhanced visual models handle complex commercial tasks
• New video generation achieves cinematic quality
• Usage-based pricing makes AI more accessible
• Expanded ecosystem simplifies business integration