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Comment by apparent | Hacker News Reader

> AI subscriptions are too highly subsidized right now

I've been running into annoying limits with Claude recently. It gives me like 5 questions over the course of 15 mins and then tells me to wait 5 hours. When companies can change things up to make the base subscription nearly useless (the last question always gets messed up, too), then you realize the value of owning your own infrastructure.

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On the $200/mo plan I have never hit a five hour limit, and I struggle to use my full credits each week.

$200/month is vastly cheaper than owning and operating comparable hardware.

You're right that $200/mo is much cheaper than comparable infrastructure. OTOH, you don't get to have a computer that can also be used for other applications, or which works when the internet is down. Also, you remain tethered to whatever pricing the AI companies want to charge. If AI pricing goes like Uber/Lyft did when the VC cash ran out, then we'll be paying much more in a few years' time. We could look back and think "I wish I'd bought my own setup back in 2026" if it's going to be inevitable.

And all this before you get into privacy/security/compliance stuff.

Ohhh trust me we're going to pay a hell of a lot more. It'll be nothing like Uber's VC running out. Someone has to be make back all those trillions.

What we're paying now is just akin to the drug dealer's free starting shot.

> On the $200/mo plan I have never hit a five hour limit, and I struggle to use my full credits each week.

I started tasking fable with huge projects over the weekend and now I hit at very least fable limit by monday.

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