Stage 3: Ripping you off · AI

Ads, fees, dark patterns, and worse defaults as incentives tilt from pleasing users toward harvesting value.

Microsoft Copilot
3

Microsoft’s assistant rides on Windows and Office defaults, and keeps getting installed where nobody asked for it.

AI Tool Since 2023
ChatGPT
3

Flagship consumer LLM: free tier competes for attention; Plus, Team, and API convert habit into recurring revenue.

AI Tool Since 2022
Claude
3

Anthropic’s assistant: funded by subscriptions, not ads—but weekly usage caps and default training on chats count against it.

AI Tool Since 2023
Google Gemini
3

Google’s LLM family bundled with Workspace and Android: utility rises with account depth; free use feeds the broader ad and data stack.

AI Tool Since 2023