Budget Allocation Shifts: How are you adapting to new industry realities?

Hey everyone, as an AD, I'm finding budget allocation feels like a moving target these days. Specifically on our current indie feature, we're seeing VFX quotes jump, and frankly, the new union agreements (necessary, of course) mean certain line items are just higher. I've also been looking into AI for some post-production tasks, but I'm unsure how to factor that into initial projections without real-world experience weighing the costs/benefits. We've tried to be more granular with department bids up front, but it still feels like we're always reacting. How have recent developments like rising VFX costs, new union agreements, and the availability of AI tools changed your approach to budget allocation in the last couple of years?