# Are AI tools becoming more expensive?

> Abdul Osama (عبدول أسامة) expects some AI tools to become more expensive and predicts fewer benefits in cheap or free plans. He suggests running open-source models on owned or rented hardware as an alternative, while stressing that it takes learning and technical work.

- By Abdul Osama (عبدول أسامة) — AI, marketing and business, in Arabic
- 5 October 2026
- URL: https://abdulosama.com/en/feed/ai-subscriptions-api-credits-open-models
- Video: https://abdulosama.com/feed/video/113
- Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/reel/Dafh75QsJpH/

## Key takeaways

- Higher prices and weaker cheap plans are Abdul’s predictions, not confirmed changes across the industry.
- Usage-based API credits work differently from a recurring subscription.
- The project-cost figures are hypothetical, not official pricing.
- Running an open-source model on owned or rented hardware requires technical effort.

## Short answer

Abdul Osama (عبدول أسامة) expects the cost of using some AI tools to rise, either through higher prices or fewer features in cheap and free plans. He suggests running open-source models on hardware you own or rent, but cautions that learning to do this is not easy.

> The honeymoon period with AI companies is coming to an end. — Abdul Osama

## Why does he expect costs to rise?

Abdul points to companies’ need to earn revenue and the ongoing electricity and hardware demands of running AI models. He also argues that many people, including developers, have become reliant on these tools.

He names Anthropic, a company that develops AI models; OpenAI, a company that develops AI models and services; and Perplexity, an AI-powered search and answer service. He predicts that familiar services like these may raise prices or reduce what their cheaper plans offer. That is **his forecast**, not a confirmed pricing announcement from those companies.

He also describes a service whose name is unclear in the recording. He says access to it will move from a subscription to an API—an interface through which software requests a service—paid for with usage credits. The recording alone does not establish the service’s identity or verify its current terms.

### In numbers

- **$10 and $20:** examples Abdul gives of inexpensive subscription prices.
- **$500 or $1,000 or more:** his hypothetical cost for a project using the service with the unclear name, not a verified price or official quote.

## What are the options?

| Option | How it works | Consideration |
|---|---|---|
| Subscription | Pay regularly for access | Features and usage limits depend on the plan. |
| API credits | Pay based on usage | Costs need monitoring as usage grows. |
| Open-source model on owned or rented hardware | Run a model on resources you manage | Requires technical setup and learning. |

> The solution is to buy hardware or rent hardware online and use open-source models, but that takes learning and isn’t easy. — Abdul Osama

## What to do next

Check a service’s current pricing and plan limits, then estimate your likely usage. If you are considering running a model yourself, factor in hardware costs and the time needed to learn, not just the subscription or API bill.

## Questions and answers

### Did Abdul say all AI subscriptions will get more expensive?

No. He predicts price increases or reduced benefits in cheap and free plans for familiar services; he does not cite official announcements from those companies.

### How are API credits different from a subscription?

A subscription is a recurring payment under a plan’s terms. An API lets software request a service, with usage potentially deducted from credits. This is general background; terms vary by provider.

### Is $500 or $1,000 a confirmed project price?

No. Abdul uses those figures as a hypothetical example for a project involving a service whose name is unclear in the recording.

### What alternative does he suggest?

He suggests buying or renting hardware to run open-source models, while warning that the approach takes learning.

## Sources and tools mentioned

- [OpenAI](https://openai.com)
- [Perplexity](https://www.perplexity.ai)

## Full transcript

فترة شهر العسل مع شركات الذكاء الصناعي بتخلص خلاص. النهاردة فيبل فايف آخر يوم لي وخلاص من هنا ورايح أي حد عايز يستخدم فيبل فايف مش متاح مش عشان الحكومة لغته ولا الكلام ده عشان انت مش هتعرف تستخدمه باشتراك انت هتستخدمه بالAPI وبالكريدت وزي ما انتوا شايفين كان بيأكل في الكريدت بتاعنا قد ايه فكل سنة وانت طيب عشان تعمل مشروع مثلا بفيبل فايف تلاقي نفسك متكلف 500 ولا 1000 دولار ولا أكتر. طيب ليه بيحصل كده? شركات الذكاء الصناعي لما طلعت كانت عايزة تستكمل النماذج بتاعتها وجزء من استكمال النماذج هو ان الناس تستخدمها تستنج يعني من الاخر فكانوا عاملين الاشتراكات هزيلة 20 دولار و10 دولار وحاجات سعاد فري عشان الناس تستخدم ويشوفوا الناس بتستخدمها ازاي؟ وإيه الصناعات اللي الناس هتستخدم فيها الاي اي الاخر؟ دلوقتي بقى عايزين المستثمرين عايزة فلوسها ده رقم واحد. تانية الشركات دي عايزة تكسب. تالتة الصناعة دي غالية أصلا. لأن انت عشان يبقى عندك حاجة بتاخد كهرباء عالية جدا وهاردوير قوي جدا بشكل مستمر ونماذج متطلبة جدا للرمات اللي هي أصلا غليت بسبب احتياج الاي اي فأنت المعادلة هنا صعبة. فبالتالي اللي حصل ان هما الشركات كلها كمان كلها بتتنافس فكل عايزة يبقى رقم واحد ففلوس المستثمرين فأحنا كنا مستفيدين للفترة اللي فاتت وشبطنا. يعني النهاردة انت لو جيت لأي ديفيلبر او اي حد من اللي شغالين وقلنا له الاي اي ده مش هيبقى موجود كارثة. فيعمل ايه؟ طب هو فين؟ طب عايزة هدفع فيها اكتر. وده للأسف اللي حصل. فتوقعوا ان الفترة اللي جاية الشركات اللي احنا تعودنا نستخدمها زي انتروبك و اوبن اي اي و برابليكساتي و غيرهم هيغلوا اسعارهم واحدة واحدة وهيبتدوا ان هما يقللوا من جودة الحاجات اللي هي بالاشتراكات الرخيصة او الفري عشان يخلوك تدفع. الحل بقى فين؟ الحل في ان انت تشتري هاردوير او تأجر هاردوير اونلاين وتستخدم نماذج مفتوحة المصدر بس الموضوع ده بحتاج ان انت تتعلم ومش سهل. ده الواقع. انا عبدالغسام تابعونا عشان تعرفوا كل جديد في الزكاء الصناعي والتسويق.

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Transcribed and written up with AI from the video; reviewed on request.