The Future Is Metered: Puneet Gupta on How to Succeed with Usage-Based Models

In this episode of The Margin, Andrew Dailey, Managing Director at MGI Research, speaks with Puneet Gupta, CEO and Founder of Amberflo, and a key architect behind Amazon Web Services’ early consumption billing systems. They explore what it takes to succeed with usage-based pricing, from cultural alignment and metering infrastructure to flexible billing models and real-time visibility. Gupta breaks down why usage, not price, is the true system of record, and why CIOs are uniquely positioned to lead this shift. If you’re rethinking how to monetize innovation, this conversation offers a clear roadmap. What you'll learn in this episode:Why usage—not price—must become your system of recordThe metering foundations required to scale consumption modelsHow prepaid, hybrid, and pay-as-you-go models really work in practiceThe cultural shifts needed to make usage-based pricing succeedWhy CIOs are uniquely positioned to lead the move to usage and AI-ready monetization