The cost of training and running large AI models is skyrocketing, with estimates suggesting that cutting-edge models could cost billions to train within a few years. This creates an affordability crisis where only the largest tech companies and wealthy nations can participate. Smaller companies, researchers, and developing countries risk being locked out of AI advancements. The concentration of AI power could lead to a digital divide that mirrors economic inequality.
AI is becoming a luxury good. That’s a problem. We’re building the most powerful technology in history, and it might only be accessible to the elite. The promise of AI was democratization—intelligence for everyone. Instead, we’re heading toward a future where the rich get smarter and the poor get left behind.
But this crisis is also an opportunity. It forces us to rethink how we build AI. We need open-source models, efficient algorithms, and shared infrastructure. The future isn’t written yet. We can choose to build AI that lifts everyone, not just the few. Let’s make intelligence a public good.