Every infrastructure path is a different operating agreement.
Compare the actual service tier, contract, workload, and team. These categories describe responsibility shapes, not universal winners.
PathProvider operatesVenture still ownsCost shapeUseful starting condition
Managed APIModel serving and core capacityApplication, data choices, access, evaluation, fallback, user experienceConsumption units and supportStart with uncertain demand and limited platform operations
Managed AI platformBroader development, orchestration, serving, and operations surfaceConfiguration, data, identity, application controls, evaluation, governance, exitConsumption, platform services, storage, networking, and operationsUse when platform capabilities remove measured work or satisfy a requirement
Self-operated servingUnderlying infrastructure according to the chosen serviceModel serving, capacity, scaling, patching, isolation, observability, recovery, evaluationCapacity, utilization, people, tooling, data, network, and idle timeConsider after sustained demand or a hard requirement justifies the operating load
Use the comparison correctly
- Verify the service-specific shared-responsibility and data terms.
- Include engineering, operations, review, and failure costs.
- Test the same representative workload and acceptance rule.
- Choose the least complex path that meets measured requirements.
- Record what would force the team to reconsider.
Primary responsibility source
Microsoft LearnAI shared responsibility modelHow customer and provider responsibilities change across SaaS, PaaS, and IaaS approaches.National Institute of Standards and TechnologySecure Software Development FrameworkOutcome-based secure software practices for preparing, protecting, producing, and responding.Amazon Web ServicesGenerative AI LensLifecycle review across scoping, model selection, integration, deployment, and continuous improvement.