Recently, I came across a viewpoint that gets more interesting the more I think about it:

We might be entering a stage where "everyone is paying for AI, but not everyone is enjoying AI."

Over the past few years, AI has suddenly exploded. All the giants are building data centers, buying GPUs, hoarding storage, expanding servers, and training models. The investment figures are getting more and more staggering.

But here's the question—where does the money come from?

In theory, it comes from corporate investment, but in reality, costs rarely just disappear; they only get transferred.

Chip prices rising, storage prices rising, increased power demand, server expansion, higher R&D costs... These things don't just stay on the financial statements; they get passed down layer by layer.

So you'll find:

Phones have gotten more expensive.

Computers have gotten more expensive.

Tablets have gotten more expensive.

Cloud services have gotten more expensive.

Memberships have gotten more expensive.

Software subscriptions have gotten more expensive.

Many people probably aren't using AI to write code, make videos, or earn money every day, nor have they truly felt an efficiency revolution.

But they're already buying more expensive electronics and more expensive software services.

This makes me think of a question:

If AI in the future can truly improve social efficiency, make healthcare cheaper, make education more accessible, and make work easier, then today's investments might be worth it.

But if it ends up just endlessly piling up equipment, computing power, and valuations, without significantly improving the lives of ordinary people,

Then the result will be:

Profits belong to a minority of high-efficiency users,

While the costs are borne by the entire society.

We used to say the internet era was about "connecting everyone."

Now it's a bit like—

"Everyone is building AI, but not everyone can enjoy AI."

Technological progress has never been free.

The question has never been whether to develop it.

It's about who benefits first, and who pays the bill.

Do you think ordinary people are truly reaping the dividends from this wave of AI?