Artificial intelligence is everywhere today and almost free. It writes texts, generates images, codes, advises. We got used to it so fast that we do not even realize what a favorable deal we are currently getting. And that is exactly a reason to pause. This article is a reflection, not a prediction, but it rests on economic logic worth knowing.

Today’s AI is exceptionally cheap

When you use an advanced AI tool today for a few euros a month or for free, you are getting something whose real cost to run is significantly higher. Training and running large models consume an enormous amount of computing power and energy. That is not cheap.

So why do we get it so cheaply? Because we are in the middle of an investment race. Companies are pouring huge money into AI to win users and market share. Prices today are set so that you get used to it and start using AI, not so they cover the real costs.

We have seen this before

We know the pattern from other services. First came a cheap or free service that subsidized growth. It gained millions of users who became dependent. And once the market matured and competition thinned out, prices started to rise and conditions tightened. Streaming, ride-hailing apps, food delivery, the same scenario everywhere.

AI follows this pattern almost like a textbook, only on a far larger scale.

We got cheaply something we became dependent on

And that is the core of it. AI is not just a toy. People and companies are getting used to it as a given. Workflows form around it, some people can no longer work equally efficiently without it. Exactly as one view put it: we got, cheaply and almost for free, something addictive, and the question is what happens when they make it more expensive.

When a tool your productivity stands on becomes expensive, you have no choice. Either you pay, or you lose the advantage you got used to.

What may happen when the subsidy ends

No one can predict the future exactly, but the logical scenarios are clear:

  • More expensive subscriptions, especially for the most powerful models.
  • A split into cheap weaker AI and expensive top-tier AI, where the truly good stuff comes at a premium.
  • Limits and restrictions where usage is almost unlimited today.
  • Top-tier AI as a luxury that not just anyone can afford, similar to expensive professional tools today.

The opposite pressure is also possible, since the technology gets cheaper and models appear that can run locally. Reality will probably be somewhere in between. But relying on today’s prices lasting forever is naive.

How to prepare for it

Instead of fear, it pays to act sensibly:

  • Do not build everything on one tool. If your workflow is entirely dependent on one paid AI, you are vulnerable. More on practical use in the article on how to use AI chatbots.
  • Watch local and open models. Some tasks can be handled by AI that runs on your own hardware, without a monthly fee.
  • Know what AI really brings you. Measure the benefit so that when prices rise you know what is still worth it.
  • Build your own knowledge and data, not just dependence on a foreign service. This relates to the article on AI agents.

Conclusion

Cheap AI is great, but it is an offer to win the market, not a permanent state. The sensible thing is to use today’s favorable period to the full, but not put yourself in a position where a price rise catches you off guard. Those who have a plan will weather the increase. Those who become fully dependent will pay any price.

Want to use AI in your company sensibly and without unnecessary dependence? Get in touch, we will advise where AI makes sense and how to keep your options open.