1 min lesson
Where you sit
Walk through each part of "Where you sit", then explain what each one does.
Step 1 of 2
Where you sitan intersection, not a lane
Because inference cost is a function of how ML serves models, how Infra provisions GPUs and how Finance books the spend, you live at the seam of all three. None of them reports to you. The whole job is moving decisions across that seam.
The three rooms you operate between
- ML / Research
- Owns model choice, routing and experiments. They generate the demand and most of the cost.
- Infrastructure
- Owns GPU fleet, serving, utilization. They convert your forecasts into reserved and on-demand capacity.
- Finance
- Owns COGS, gross margin and the budget. They need spend tied to products and unit metrics to plan.
- Your seat
- The translator and program owner in the middle - influence without authority by being the most prepared person in the room.