The Per-Asset Cost Cliff: Why Bulk Visual Generation Rewrites Retainer Math

Image generators move visual production from per-asset labor to configurable pipelines, which changes what an agency can promise on a fixed retainer. The margin gain is real but usage-priced APIs convert a fixed cost into a variable one, so the same pipeline that wins a high-volume account can erode margin when volume spikes. Price the retainer against a modeled render ceiling, not against last quarter's hours.