The generative AI customization spectrum: From prompt engineering to custom models on AWS

Amazon Web Services · 1 month ago · 12

AWS outlined an 8-step framework for choosing generative AI customization on Amazon Bedrock, ranging from using foundation models as-is to fine-tuning or training custom models. Amazon says its Bedrock model distillation can make student models up to 500% faster, up to 75% less expensive, with less than 2% accuracy loss, per a May 2025 announcement. The decision approach shifts teams away from jumping directly to fine-tuning toward starting at simpler options like prompt changes and RAG, and only escalating when accuracy, latency, or domain needs aren’t met.