AI’s explosive growth — especially agentic AI — has unleashed a new era of opex volatility, outpacing the predictability we achieved with cloud FinOps. Unlike cloud, AI’s inference and token costs are elusive, often blindsiding organizations as adoption accelerates. This results in chaotic, runaway expenses. Platform engineering must make cost control a first-class citizen, embedding financial accountability into every paved road to harness AI’s power without losing control of the bottom line.