HomeOpenRouter Launches Tech to Slash AI Multi-Turn Conversation Costs
As AI conversation technology evolves, OpenRouter has launched two new features—Prompt Caching and Sticky Routing—designed to cut token costs in multi-turn agent conversations. This innovation allows developers to reduce expenses during extended interactions with agents, encouraging wider adoption of agent applications.
In multi-turn conversations, agents frequently resend the same system prompts, tool definitions, and strategy instructions. Even if the user only changes one input across six rounds, each repeated prompt incurs charges. Prompt Caching lets OpenRouter retrieve cached data, bypassing the cost of re-sending identical prompts. Depending on the provider, cached reads cost 0.1 to 0.5 times the standard input price, significantly lowering expenses. For instance, on Claude Sonnet 4.6, cached reads are just $0.30 per million tokens, compared to $3.00 for normal input.
To maintain cache effectiveness across multiple turns, OpenRouter's Sticky Routing sends subsequent requests to the same provider that holds the hot cache, enabling developers to consistently enjoy low-cost cache reads throughout the conversation.
However, to take full advantage of this innovation, developers must keep the same session throughout. For optimal caching, OpenRouter recommends setting a session_id, which activates Sticky Routing immediately after the first successful request—not only after a cache hit. Developers can also verify cache usage by checking the response data.
As AI technology progresses, OpenRouter's latest feature not only gives developers a powerful cost-control tool but also opens new possibilities for agent applications.
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As AI conversation technology evolves, OpenRouter has launched two new features—Prompt Caching and Sticky Routing—designed to cut token costs in multi-turn agent conversations. This innovation allows developers to reduce expenses during extended interactions with agents, encouraging wider adoption of agent applications.
In multi-turn conversations, agents frequently resend the same system prompts, tool definitions, and strategy instructions. Even if the user only changes one input across six rounds, each repeated prompt incurs charges. Prompt Caching lets OpenRouter retrieve cached data, bypassing the cost of re-sending identical prompts. Depending on the provider, cached reads cost 0.1 to 0.5 times the standard input price, significantly lowering expenses. For instance, on Claude Sonnet 4.6, cached reads are just $0.30 per million tokens, compared to $3.00 for normal input.
To maintain cache effectiveness across multiple turns, OpenRouter's Sticky Routing sends subsequent requests to the same provider that holds the hot cache, enabling developers to consistently enjoy low-cost cache reads throughout the conversation.
However, to take full advantage of this innovation, developers must keep the same session throughout. For optimal caching, OpenRouter recommends setting a session_id, which activates Sticky Routing immediately after the first successful request—not only after a cache hit. Developers can also verify cache usage by checking the response data.
As AI technology progresses, OpenRouter's latest feature not only gives developers a powerful cost-control tool but also opens new possibilities for agent applications.
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