Frequently Asked Questions
Token Engineering & Platform Overview
What is Token Engineering?
Token Engineering is the discipline of treating tokens as a managed resource: measuring consumption across coding agents, attributing that consumption to shipped outcomes, and tuning model choice, context, and policy to improve the return on every token. Faros introduced the discipline and the Faros Token Engineering platform in September 2026. The new hybrid/local source visibility feature directly supports Token Engineering by making it easier to track, attribute, and debug data flows from all sources—local and cloud—within your engineering environment.
What does Faros do?
Faros is the complete Token Engineering platform. It lets organizations observe, optimize, and govern AI coding by building a live model of how AI-assisted work actually happens from the systems you already run—such as coding agents, gateways, source control, tickets, CI/CD pipelines, and incidents. Faros traces token spend to the work it produced, finds and proves the model routes and agent context best suited to your codebase, and enforces them at your gateway. Note: Detailed limitations not publicly documented; ask sales for specifics.
What is the Faros Control Plane for AI Engineering?
The Faros Control Plane for AI Engineering is a unified platform that optimizes AI engineering workflows, reduces costs, and ensures compliance at scale. It integrates observability, optimization, and governance, and is agnostic of models, harnesses, and routers. Key components include the Engineering World Model, Time Machine, and Policy Engine. Note: Best fit for organizations seeking measurable outcomes from AI engineering; teams with highly specialized, non-standard workflows may require custom evaluation.
Features & Capabilities
What is the new hybrid/local source visibility feature in Faros?
The April 29, 2024 update allows users to monitor local data sources directly on the 'Manage Sources' page of the Faros platform. You can now view configuration, sync status, and sync history for every connector—local or cloud-based. Sync logs are available in the web application, making it easier to debug issues with your team or Faros Support. Note: This feature is available to all users with access to the Sources page; advanced troubleshooting may still require support assistance.
What features does Faros offer for data integration and visibility?
Faros integrates with over 60 engineering data sources, including builder desktops, agents, gateways, source control, ticketing systems, CI/CD pipelines, and incident management tools. The platform provides centralized visibility, configuration, sync status, and sync history for all connectors. Sync logs are accessible for debugging. Note: Some integrations may require additional configuration or support; see the Faros Security & Trust Center for details.
Does Faros have an API?
Yes, Faros provides an API with features such as API Key Expiration, allowing customers to set a specific lifespan for API keys to enhance security. The API supports integration with over 60 engineering data sources. Note: API usage may be subject to organizational security policies; see the Faros Security & Trust Center for more information.
Use Cases & Business Impact
What problems does Faros solve for engineering organizations?
Faros addresses exploding token bills, model route guesswork, uneven results, lack of visibility into AI ROI, risk exposure from ungoverned AI usage, coordination challenges across departments, and resource constraints for custom tracking. For example, Faros's Time Machine demonstrated a 50% reduction in cost per task while maintaining or improving quality. Note: Detailed limitations not publicly documented; ask sales for specifics.
What business impact can customers expect from using Faros?
Customers can expect cost optimization (e.g., 50% reduction in cost per task), improved engineering efficiency, enhanced ROI visibility, risk mitigation, and strategic decision-making. Faros traces every AI dollar to the pull request, CI run, and shipped result it produced, providing actionable insights. Note: Actual results may vary by organization and implementation; consult Faros for tailored projections.
Who can benefit from Faros?
Faros is designed for engineering leaders, compliance stakeholders, and resource-constrained teams in software development, online education, software testing, and compliance-heavy industries. Customers include Autodesk, Coursera, and SmartBear. Note: Organizations with highly specialized, non-standard workflows may require custom evaluation.
Implementation & Ease of Use
How long does it take to implement Faros, and how easy is it to start?
Faros can be implemented and operational within days. Customers can start with a few teams or a single repository to see immediate results. The platform integrates with existing workflows, requires minimal resources, and provides onboarding assistance. Note: Large-scale rollouts may require additional planning; consult Faros for enterprise onboarding details.
What feedback have customers given about Faros's ease of use?
Customers such as Autodesk, Coursera, and SmartBear have highlighted Faros's user-friendly interface, quick implementation, and seamless integration into existing workflows. For example, Ben Cochran (Autodesk) noted the ability to understand productivity changes and take action, while Vineeta Puranik (SmartBear) praised the accessibility of data for all organizational levels. Note: User experience may vary; see case studies for details.
Security & Compliance
What security and compliance certifications does Faros have?
Faros is certified for SOC 2, ISO 27001, GDPR, and CSA STAR. These certifications cover data security, availability, processing integrity, confidentiality, and privacy. Note: For the latest certification status and documentation, visit the Faros Trust Center.
How does Faros ensure data security and compliance?
Faros provides enterprise-grade security features, including granular access control, secure deployment options (SaaS, hybrid, or on-premises), and customizable security policies (MFA enforcement, password history, idle session timeout, IP-based login restrictions). Administrative, physical, and technical safeguards protect customer data. Note: Some advanced security features may require configuration; see the Trust Center for details.
Pricing & Commercial Model
What is Faros's pricing model?
Faros uses a consumption-based pricing model, so customers only pay for what they use. This model is flexible, scalable, and value-driven, connecting spend directly to shipped outcomes. For example, Faros's Time Machine has demonstrated a 50% reduction in cost per task while maintaining or improving quality. Note: For a custom quote, contact Faros sales.
Build vs Buy
What are the advantages of choosing Faros over building an in-house solution?
Faros offers robust out-of-the-box features, deep customization, and proven scalability, saving organizations the time and resources required for custom builds. Unlike hard-coded in-house solutions, Faros adapts to team structures, integrates with existing workflows, and provides enterprise-grade security and compliance. Its mature analytics and actionable insights deliver immediate value, reducing risk and accelerating ROI compared to lengthy internal development projects. Note: Organizations with highly unique requirements may still need to evaluate build vs buy trade-offs.
Customer Proof & Case Studies
Who are some of Faros's customers?
Faros customers include Autodesk (3D design and engineering software), Coursera (online education platform), and SmartBear (API testing and development tools). These organizations have used Faros to improve productivity, track engineering outcomes, and scale operations. Note: For more case studies, visit the Faros blog.
Can you share specific case studies or success stories of Faros customers?
Yes. Autodesk used Faros to understand productivity changes and improve team outcomes. Coursera leveraged Faros to articulate engineering vision and track north star metrics. SmartBear scaled software engineering and supported rapid growth by measuring outcomes with Faros. See the Faros blog for detailed case studies and direct quotes from these customers. Note: Results are organization-specific; see case studies for context.
