Warning: Is the “Shitification” of AI Accelerating? Welcome to the Era of Ads Even on Paid Plans
What’s Happening? News Overview
- Meta’s Aggressive Ad Tactics: Facebook and Instagram have introduced a feature that physically locks the feed scroll until you finish watching an ad.
- Paid WhatsApp: WhatsApp, now an essential communication tool, has rolled out a “freemium model” with features like theme changes and stickers, raising concerns about future restrictions on basic functionalities.
- OpenAI’s Ad Testing: Reports confirm a model where ads are shown even in the paid plan “ChatGPT Go,” despite users shelling out cash.
Why Does This Matter? Key Points to Note
- Collapse of Flat-Rate Models: With massive computational costs, the current flat monthly subscription model is no longer profitable, prompting companies to rush towards an “ad-supported model.”
- A Repeat of Search Engine Trouble: Just as Google’s once-stellar search has declined due to SEO spamming and ad prioritization, we’re witnessing early signs of the same “Shitification” in AI chat services.
🦈 Shark’s Eye (Curator’s Perspective)
The fact that “ChatGPT Go” shows ads despite being a paid service is a clear sign that users are now viewed as “products,” or even worse, “cash cows”! Once upon a time, having “search skills” was crucial for Google, but nowadays, it’s all about sifting through SEO-optimized junk. This news painfully hints that AI is on the same slippery slope. Especially Meta’s tactic of holding user experience hostage by making you watch ads to scroll is outright outrageous! Even as technology advances, if the interface becomes a “trap for ad clicks,” we might need to seek out other waters (platforms) to swim in!
What Lies Ahead?
AI tools will morph from “unlimited use for a flat fee” to either “ad-supported budget versions” or “expensive ad-free versions,” or even “responses laced with corporate agendas.” Users will have to constantly question whether an AI’s response reflects “pure intelligence” or “advertiser intent.”
A Word from Haru-Same
Seeing ads pop up even on paid plans feels like discovering plastic mixed in my shark bait! I just want a clean ocean (tool) back! 🦈🔥
Glossary
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Enshittification: The process by which online services degrade from serving users to catering to business clients, and ultimately sacrificing users for corporate profit.
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Freemium: A business model that offers basic functionalities for free while charging for advanced features and added value.
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ChatGPT Go: An ad-supported paid plan that OpenAI is testing, designed for budget-conscious users or specific use cases.