I think you are assuming we are talking about swapping API usage from one model to another. That is not what happened. A specific product doing a specific thing uses less energy now.
To clarify: the way models become more efficient is usually by training a new one with a new architecture, quantization, etc.
This is analogous to making a computer more efficient by putting a new CPU in it. It would be completely normal to say that you made the computer more efficient, even though you've actually swapped out the hardware.
I think you are assuming we are talking about swapping API usage from one model to another. That is not what happened. A specific product doing a specific thing uses less energy now.
To clarify: the way models become more efficient is usually by training a new one with a new architecture, quantization, etc.
This is analogous to making a computer more efficient by putting a new CPU in it. It would be completely normal to say that you made the computer more efficient, even though you've actually swapped out the hardware.