Already kinda true with the dgx sparc, and probably will be replaced with a cheaper version when they find themselves overstocked.

Maybe, I'm not really sure that's competitive while the principal value prop of LLM tools is mass surveillance / advertising. I suppose commodity on-prem LLMs could become a thing after the current bubble pops and we scrape an economy together from the rubble. Maybe there's a slice of people who understand the costs of trusting cloud LLMs (which would, I hope, be higher post-pop), but also lack the expertise to set up and run their own on-prem LLM, that would be interested in something like that.

I think demand for privacy-respecting (and creator-respecting) tools can be driven up by increasing global technical literacy. That would also, hopefully, increase the number of people able to create and maintain their own free tools, and decrease the ability of data slurpers to bilk ignorant people.

I wonder if they will adapt. People who are ignorant of how computers, software, and the internet work run into massive problems now, often without even realizing it. Making computers seem esoteric and difficult to understand serves the interest of those who would use those tools to scam, deceive, or otherwise manipulate people. I know it was a dizzying amount of information back when I got my degree, and it's only gotten more complex since then. I'm sure there are a ton of people who wish they knew more but don't know how.

A ton of adults in the US struggle with basic arithmetic, not because they're stupid, but because they were never taught properly. They don't try to learn, because there aren't a ton of resources for adults at that level and it's very embarrassing for an adult to ask for help with 8th grade (US grade for 12-13 years olds) math.

I'm going to have to do some research on this. The better adults (and children) who had shitty schools growing up can fill the gaps in their education, the harder it will be for billionaires to trick them with fancy gadgets like LLMs. Seems like a problem worth trying to address. The only thing I know off the top of my head is Khan Academy, and it's been years since I used that, I don't know if it's any good nowadays. Regardless, the current state of affairs is obviously... suboptimal.