OpenAI likely won’t leave it free forever, not to mention ChatGPT is severely restricted in its application, very much so a walled garden.

There are other open source projects, one that comes to mind is Stability AI, that are rumored to be developing a model that will run natively on your phone hardware, no web access required.

Open source will also allow people to train these models on more specific data sets, maybe focused around coding or essay writing or social media posting in particular, instead of a one size fits all solution.

OpenSource will also mean the tech can evolve at a breakneck pace, as the stable diffusion Text to image generator has shown - giving a wide open toolset to the general public results in explosive growth in tech compared to giving them the front end UI only.

It also democratizes the information. AI will monumentally shift our social and economic landscape, and leaving that power in the hands of an “elite few” will only serve to widen power gulfs and classist demarcations.