Your software is about to get costlier thanks to AI
AI is coming to more software, whether you want it or not. And yes, expect to pay.
AI is coming to more software, whether you want it or not. And yes, you'll be paying for the pleasure.
Which came first? AI or SaaS price increases?
According to a report on Business Insider, the current culprit could well be AI.
The cost of AI
It seems like Microsoft is mulling a major revamp of its popular Microsoft 365 suite. The objective? To incorporate more AI features and make more money from its huge investments in AI.
It won't the first time that new AI features are used to justify price increases.
Take Otter, a service I've used for years as a paid customer. According to a recent email, prices are going up substantially - and transcription minutes dramatically reduced.
The reason? To pay for a new feature I've never used - AI summaries.
Death, taxes, and rising SaaS cost
I wrote last month about the inexorably rising cost of SaaS services.
From the many who commented, I'm glad (or should it be sad) to report that my experience is pretty much the norm.
Or as Adrian Choo helpfully explains, the name for this sorry state of affairs is called "enshittification".
In a nutshell:
- Platforms start off good to their users.
- They abuse users to favour business customers.
- They abuse business customers next to get more value.
Anyway, AI is coming to all your apps, and very soon, your Apple smartphones.
Question is, what are you going to do?
