Due to the high costs of top artificial intelligence models from major tech giants, even Microsoft has started seeking more cost-effective alternatives. According to overseas media reports, in order to expand the adoption of enterprise-level AI tools, Microsoft is planning to switch the billing model of its Copilot Cowork agent to a pay-per-use basis. At the same time, to help enterprise customers reduce their expenses, Microsoft is considering introducing the micro-optimized version of DeepSeek's V4 model, a rising star in China's large models.

Intelligent agents like Microsoft Copilot Cowork, which can perform tasks independently, require extremely frequent model calls during daily work. This high-density continuous interaction significantly improves office productivity, but it also unintentionally leads to exorbitant AI bills that enterprises find difficult to bear.

High call fees drive demand for alternatives

Currently, leading large models in the West are generally very expensive. Take Anthropic's latest flagship model, Fable 5, as an example. Its output price is as high as $50 per million tokens, making the high computing costs a barrier for many enterprises that heavily rely on AI agents.

In contrast, the DeepSeek V4 Pro model from Huanfang Quantitative has an output price of approximately $0.87 per million tokens after discounts. The astonishing 57-fold price difference between the two has become the core reason why Microsoft is urgently seeking it as a low-cost alternative.

Decision may come within a few weeks

Microsoft executives revealed that the company is currently conducting in-depth evaluations of the micro-optimized version of DeepSeek V4 and other open-source models, and expects to officially confirm and launch this low-cost model option within the next few weeks. This will undoubtedly provide budget-limited enterprises with a more attractive choice for intelligent transformation.

In terms of security and compliance, Microsoft has given enterprise customers peace of mind. This new alternative model will be fully hosted on Microsoft's own Azure cloud service, ensuring that customer data privacy, enterprise security, and compliance controls remain at the highest standards within the Microsoft ecosystem.