Is the "AI" capability in FMS "Metered" like the Data API?

Questions
1

Just wanted to ask if Claris “meters” (hopefully can charge a surcharge) AI usage when you enable the AI functionality in FMS.

Considering what they do with the Data API (actually meter software you’ve paid for), I wanted to check what they might be doing with FMS now before even considering using the AI feature. I’ve never used the Data API either because of the metering.

It’s very easy to use AI functionality in FileMaker without this FMS AI feature enabled. I’ve been using AI in FileMaker (LLMs, only) using external methods long before Claris implemented this latest feature.

Thanks in advance,

2

Hi @OliverBarrett

Related to this:

It might be worth revisiting the topic of Data API metering. I believe that the metering limits were removed for on-premise production installations starting around one major version ago.

This KB article could help clarify.

HTH.

3

You will utilise an existing account with one of the major AI providers, or you will use a custom LLM. Presumably a custom LLM will be in-house and will not be metered.

If you have an account with an AI provider then it is being monitored and billed. That is completely separate to Claris.

Some of the tools that Claris provides allows you to track token usage. The training tutorials also provide advice around token usage and ways to minimise token usage.

2 Likes
4

Thanks Steve.

This paragraph was confusing at the top of that KB article:

”For customers using Claris FileMaker Server 21 or later versions in an on-premise environment, the Data API and OData usage restrictions have been removed. FileMaker Developer Subscription and FileMaker Cloud continue to be restricted.”

So, I’m using FileMaker Devleoper but it’s “on-prem” (AWS). So, is that restricted (metered) or not?

Thanks very much for your reply.

5

Thank you Malcolm. :grinning_face:

6

Hi @OliverBarrett . I would interpret that line as saying that the Developer Subscription version still has the original restrictions, i.e., the metering.

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7

Yep, me too. That’s OK, I never use Data API anyway.

Thanks Steve.

8

Understood that it may never be the case, but, should you ever start working with a production version of FileMaker Server (i.e. not the developer subscription), I would suggest shifting any potential attention that would have gone to the Data API to instead try out the OData API. I suspect it that might be a better fit.

1 Like
9

Claris has been signalling that we should be planning to move to OData API.

10

I use the Data API in one place in a client app to run a script programmatically. If Claris breaks that support, as in stop supporting the Data API, that would break the client’s application.

For me, in 99.999% of all cases, I’ll stick with JDBC which has full read/write access, also a long-standard, and the full Java language behind it. So much more powerful. SQL is such a better and universal way of table CRUD ops (READ, UPDATE, INSERT, and DELETE).

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Posting removed. Issues resolved.