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Our [Stack Exchange's] partnership with Google and commitment to socially responsible AI
(meta.stackexchange.com)
This is a most excellent place for technology news and articles.
Except we don't (generally) get charged again for using those roads once they have been built.
WDYM? Who is charged again for what?
Roads require constant maintenance, which is paid for through taxes. Obviously, we're not charged for the building or maintenance of most roads.
But we are charged if we wish to make use of these new AI models
You can download one of the many free models and run it yourself. You'll find that it costs you money for hardware and electricity.
Data centers aren't free and neither are scientists or engineers.
Yes, but Google isn't exactly releasing their model for free now are they. And that's what this article is about.
The people in the data centers and the engineers and scientists don't work for free. That's what you consider "paying again"?
We have already paid in time and knowledge:
Hard to believe that someone expecting a check for posting on the internet would ever give a helpful answer for free.
Giving helpful answers for free is one thing, then having someone else profit off your contributions, in this way, is another.