AI subscriptions add up faster than you notice. I'm paying $236/month across seven AI tools — and every company I'm giving money to says they're losing money on me. The math only works because of VC subsidies that won't last. When the bill catches up, you'll wish you'd built your own stack. This playlist tracks what AI actually costs, why it's about to cost more, and what happens when you stop renting and start owning your compute. Topics covered: • What you're really paying every month (the subscription audit) • Why "$20/mo" turns into $200/mo (the enshittification cycle) • Self-hosting the AI tools you actually use • Replacing SaaS with a homelab — what works, what doesn't • When AI is genuinely cheaper than humans, and when it isn't If you've ever stared at a credit card statement wondering when "just one more subscription" became $100+/month, this playlist is for you.
Curated by: Codacus (15 videos)
AI is cheaper right now than it will ever be. I’m currently spending $236/month on AI subscriptions — and every company I pay says they’re losing money on me. So what happens when that stops? This video breaks down the AI pricing shift that’s already happening. Token costs have dropped 10× in the last 18 months — but the tools you actually use haven’t. ChatGPT, Claude, Cursor, Perplexity… still $20–$100/month. That gap doesn’t last forever. Right now, most AI companies are subsidizing usage below cost. Even Sam Altman has said they’re losing money on paid plans. That only works while funding lasts. When the subsidy disappears, one of two things happens: • Prices go up (a lot) • Or the best models get locked behind higher tiers In this video: • Why AI subscriptions are underpriced today • Where the real costs are hiding • What happens when the subsidy ends • What I cut, what I kept, and what I’m doing instead My current AI stack costs $236/month. Here’s the breakdown — and how I’m preparing for what comes next. 🔗 Mentioned: - I Built My Own Perplexity Computer → https://youtu.be/akXT0DRvvK4 - I Replaced $52/mo in AI Subscriptions → https://youtu.be/mWLjk2ODg_I - Cory Doctorow on en*hittification →https://pluralistic.net/2026/04/27/analogs-and-analogies/ ⏱ Chapters: 0:00 Why AI feels cheap 0:22 My $236/month setup 1:17 The real math 1:54 En*hittification 3:18 Why this is happening 4:11 The principle 5:13 Counter arguments 5:51 Full cost breakdown 6:53 What I’m doing next #ai #aisubscriptions #chatgpt #claude #cursor #localai #selfhosted #aicost