I’m struggling to follow your argument, it feels more speculative than evidence-based. Runtime costs have consistently fallen.
As for advertising, it’s possible, but with so many competitors and few defensible moats, there’s real pressure to stay ad-free. These tools are also positioned to command pricing power in a way search never was, given search has been free for decades.
The hardware vs. software angle seems like a distraction. My original point was in response to the claim that LLMs are “toys for the rich.” The C64 was a rich kid’s toy too—and far less capable.
As for advertising, it’s possible, but with so many competitors and few defensible moats, there’s real pressure to stay ad-free. These tools are also positioned to command pricing power in a way search never was, given search has been free for decades.
The hardware vs. software angle seems like a distraction. My original point was in response to the claim that LLMs are “toys for the rich.” The C64 was a rich kid’s toy too—and far less capable.