Only 2% Pay for ChatGPT and Claude. That's a Problem.

A new study says only 2% of AI users actually pay for AI. 98% use the free tier or don't use it at all. I break down what that means for OpenAI and Anthropic, why there's no money in just having a cool model, Sam Altman telling the world to "accept some bad things," Anthropic lobbying the Vatican on AI consciousness, the $2 trillion IPO target, GPU prices going up, and the good news: we are still insanely early. Work with me: https://rmdw.ai Private AI for businesses: https://rmdw.ai/#private-ai Follow me on X: https://x.com/richardbechols CHAPTERS 0:00 AI isn't as popular as you think 0:32 The study: only 2% pay for AI 1:02 We live in a bubble 2:27 Software vs AI 3:21 Models are a commodity 3:56 Anthropic's IPO numbers 4:35 There's no money in a cool model 5:46 What actually sells: websites 7:37 Who really wants private AI 9:59 Sam Altman: "accept some bad things" 10:57 Anthropic and the Vatican 12:47 The $2 trillion IPO 14:06 The good news 14:53 GPU prices: DGX Spark and Mac Studio 16:22 Opus 5.5 is still the best 16:42 People pay for easy, not incredible 17:31 Private AI for doctors and lawyers 18:03 We're in a bubble RMDW = Real-world Models, Data and Workflows. AI is about results, not prompts. CREDITS Posts on X shown for commentary: @kimmonismus, @politico, @Polymarket, @AIDailyBrief, @SateeshKMynam. Chart data: PNC Research via a16z (July 2026). Interview clip: POLITICO Decoded. Product footage: @OpenAI and @claudeai. Used under fair use for commentary and news. Photos via Wikimedia Commons: Sam Altman and Dario Amodei (TechCrunch, CC BY 2.0), Pope Leo XIV (CC BY-SA 4.0), St. Peter's Basilica (CC BY 4.0), NVIDIA DGX Spark (dllu, CC BY-SA 4.0), Mac Studio (CC BY-SA 4.0). Logos are trademarks of their owners, shown for commentary. Stock video: Pexels. #ChatGPT #ClaudeAI #OpenAI #Anthropic #AIForBusiness