Who's Paying for AI? Product, Pricing & the Planet

Climate Week Edition For twenty years, SaaS companies built their businesses around recurring subscriptions. AI is breaking that model, from both directions at once. On one side, seat licenses are turning into token pricing, shifting cost and unpredictability onto customers who now pay for usage instead of access. On the other, inference costs are quietly becoming one of the biggest line items on the P&L, driven by compute and energy demands that show no sign of slowing, a rising cost companies absorb before it ever reaches a customer's invoice. Hosted during NYC Climate Week, this conversation sits right at that intersection: as AI scales, so does its energy footprint, and the businesses built on top of it will have to reckon with both. Join our panelists:Chris Cheetham is CEO of Ptera Technologies, where he leads a fintech-focused practice helping founders, platforms, and investors move from concept to compliant launch across product strategy, engineering, and security. He also builds AI-enabled tools for strategic advisory firms, giving him a hands-on view of pricing, talent, and internal tooling decisions. Alisha Outridge is an AI product and technology executive, patented co-inventor and founder of Byte & Chord and AI Founder Playbook. Her 15+ year career spans computer vision, spatial computing, personalization, adaptive digital experiences and AI-powered systems at companies including Meta, Reuters, iHeartRadio, TuneCore and FlyBy Media, acquired by Apple. Today, she helps founders, leaders and organizations turn emerging technology into practical products, workflows and operating systems. Luke Turner is VP at DCA Asset Management, where he sources and evaluates private investments and delivers strategic financial advisory to founders, leading due diligence that informs investment recommendations. Before DCA, he was an Investment Banking Analyst at CKS Advisors and an Analyst at Root Valuation, building a background in financial modeling, M&A advisory, and strategic planning. Who's behind this: Tova Feldheim and Caroline Jerome are co-founders of York Effect. York Effect Sprints™ are decision-making frameworks for Series A+ companies. In four weeks, we help you see what scales and what doesn't. Book a call Sponsored by: YELL Payment: YELL is reshaping how consumers and businesses in the U.S. manage money and payments through a unified platform designed to reduce friction, improve visibility, and increase control. The Yard: A coworking space at the intersection of creativity, design, & play with multiple locations with a variety of shared and private workspace options to meet your team's needs. Built to inspire and cultivate success, The Yard is here to help you win! Learn more at theyard.com