tech
You Can't Trust One Token Number Across Your Tools. Here's the Guide to a Dashboard That Keeps Codex, Claude, and ChatGPT Honest.
As of this writing, the biggest single day I have ever run through Codex is north of 860 million tokens, counted exactly. By the time you read this the number will be higher, because I keep giving the computer more to do.
TL;DR
- Token counts are traces of AI usage, not scoreboards; they become useful when tied to outcomes and delegated intelligence.
- A dashboard helps identify gaps in AI usage and determines if AI is expanding capabilities or just speeding up existing work.
- Users often mistake assistant work for computer work, limiting AI's transformative potential by not assigning it complex tasks.
- The article introduces a custom-built dashboard for tracking AI usage across tools like Codex, Claude, and ChatGPT.
- Key features of the dashboard guide include building it from scratch, using ready-made kits, understanding assistant vs. computer work, interpreting usage charts, and turning one-off runs into workflows.