The rapid shift from seat‑based licensing to hybrid and consumption‑based AI pricing has made technology spend significantly harder for enterprises to predict and control. In this episode, Adam Mansfield, Practice Leader at UpperEdge, examines how these new pricing models create financial exposure for buyers and why clear forecasting, transparency, and leverage are increasingly difficult to secure in negotiations with major vendors, in conversation with host Marilie Fouché. He highlights the practical steps leaders must take now — from auditing current usage and identifying under‑leveraged spend to engaging vendors early and using the broader. This episode is sponsored by UpperEdge. To go deeper into vendor negotiations and learn how to assess AI providers by leadership credibility and funding signals, download our free report, “5 Ways to Select the Right AI Vendor,” at emerj.com/aiv3