This would quickly erode confidence in the routers themselves...

Or create a competitive environment between routers?

Another point here is that some users prefer to use their own API keys for the backend providers (a feature we're releasing soon). Any "discounts" would then be harder to implement. I do generally think it's much cleaner if we route based on the public facing price + performance, so our users don't need to lock into our own SSO if they'd prefer not to.

I think the biggest risk with advanced AI is that it's captured [likely by bad actors under the guise of cover stories] and that it strays away from being as free market as is possible.

E.g. I don't think there should be any patents regarding what AI creates and how it can create it - let's not give people monopolies anymore for which all possibilities will come into existence due to passionate people, not due to the possibility of being able to patent something. E.g. telling the system to turn a 2D photo into a 3D rendering and then extrapolating/reverse engineering that to tie into materials and known building code requirements is plainly obvious, as one easy example; a "gold rush" for patents on AI etc only aims to benefit relatively rent-seekers and those in the VC industrial complex, etc.

that's a good point, impartiality would then be questioned

I certainly wouldn't complain about this lol

So they end up in the same situation as hotels or airlines, beholden to the middlemen? They’ll never allow that :)