Is AI worth the cost
OpenAI gives a curl command to initially test the account setup, then its nothing until a credit card is added to the account. So is it actually worth spending money on something I cannot try out first?
Watching Beacon 23 again and enjoying it even more a second time around. The first viewing I was a bit confused with the storyline jumps, but it makes a lot more sense now.
The Editor code assistant plugin for Neovim had a bit update, although it is no longer running the ECA server.
The Cost of AIλ︎
I have only touched on the plethora of so called 'AI' services and the sole thing they have in common is that they all cost money, potentially a lot of money.
My recent experience with OpenAI were extremely disappointing. Upon creating an account I was able to send 26 'tokens' (I assume words) to the OpenAI API to test the account.
I could not do anything of value without handing over credit card details. So what would be my motivation to use the service if I could not experience that service?
The website does have a 'prompt' where the OpenAI model can be asked a question. I asked why I should use OpenAI and was immediately prompted to login or create a free account. I was able to cancel that prompt and see the answer provided.
Curiously the website address changed to https://chatgpt.com/ when replying to the question. That seems very dubious and another example of the lack of maturity in AI services.
The real AI hook?λ︎
There is a different hook for engineers that is far more effective than all the marketing hype and tales of 'vibe coding'.
AI models and tools to use them effectively are the 'new shiney'. Its a new challenge to explore and create solutions.
A new challenge can be like taking a holiday for the mind, certainly a break from thinking about the day to day issues and engineer and eningeering department currently face.
Introducing a significant change like an AI service provides a lot of scope for creative thinking.
There is also the interest in the underlying technology. Although AI concepts have been around for over a century it is only in the last few decades have we had the technology to create solutions. The age of the Internet drove the sharing and storing of vast levels of engineering experience (along with lots of cat & dog pictures).
GitHub Co-pilotλ︎
Apparently I can boost developer productivity for $19 per month per user. This is usually the type of marketing spin that sees engineers run away or simply ignore.
As a business owner or head of engineering, how do I quantify that this is a good investment?
I want to ensure the engineers are being effective, which is mostly around understanding how to solve complex problems and teach a computer how to automate those actions.
An engineering team could prove value from an AI service by using it, if also given time to include analysis of its value.
Proving the value of an AI service would add to the significant learning curve needed to use a specific AI service effectively. That learning curve becomes steeper when tools currently used in the development workflow are not the ones the AI service integrates seamlessly with.
Why should I use OpenAI?λ︎
NOTE: This is the reply from OpenAI when asked this question.
Using OpenAI tools—like ChatGPT—can be beneficial depending on what you're trying to accomplish. Here are some solid, practical reasons why you might choose OpenAI:
✅ 1. Boost Productivity
Writing & Editing: Drafts, emails, reports, blog posts, and more—faster and cleaner.
Coding Help: From debugging to generating scripts or learning a new language/framework.
Summarization: Quickly digest articles, documents, or meetings.
✅ 2. Reliable General Knowledge
Great for learning or exploring complex topics, simplified in clear language.
Use it like a tutor or sounding board for math, science, history, philosophy, and more.
✅ 3. Creative Work
Storytelling, poetry, songwriting, or idea generation.
Design assistance, character development, or brainstorming names and branding.
✅ 4. 24/7 Availability
Unlike a human expert, OpenAI’s tools are available anytime you need help, instantly.
✅ 5. Safe, Private, and Customizable
You can tailor your interactions.
Tools like Custom GPTs allow you to build purpose-specific assistants.
Strong focus on safety and ethical AI use compared to many alternatives.
✅ 6. Integrated Ecosystem
Works across apps like Microsoft Word, Excel, and now even web browsers via extensions or plugins.
Can handle text, code, images, and more (especially with GPT-4o).
✅ 7. Cost-Effective for Many Use Cases
A subscription may be cheaper than hiring help for writing, research, or basic support tasks.
When should you not use OpenAI?
For highly sensitive data (e.g. confidential legal or medical info).
If you're seeking authoritative legal, medical, or financial advice (should always verify with professionals).
In environments where offline or local tools are required due to data/privacy policies.
Analysis of answerλ︎
The first line of the reply is very telling. Its essentially saying 'it depends'...
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Boost productivity
Writing & Editing: Drafts, emails, reports, blog posts, and more—faster and cleaner.
This suggests wringing and editing documents would be faster and cleaner, but I already am not keen on the grammer it is using. It doest feel that natural and I have never seen 'more-faster' used in any written text or heard anyone speak that phrase (it sounds strange when I speak this out loud)
Coding Help: From debugging to generating scripts or learning a new language/framework.
There is rarely an authorititive answer or standard approach to learning a programming language or a specific framework built on top of that language.
Coding help seems a fair term for this potential value. An AI service should be more effective at searching for relevant content and presenting that back in a digestible form (or at least in a fairly consistent prose).
When an AI service is less effective than a person simply searching the Internet or asking a community of peers, then that AI service delivers no value.
Summarization: Quickly digest articles, documents, or meetings.
Summary of a document or a meeting can be very valuable (especially when an organisation has too many meetings without enough focus).
Neovimλ︎
Continuing to test the ECA plugin and searching for an AI service that I dont have to pay for.
I don't see the value of paying an AI to 'google' things for me.
ECA pluginλ︎
Failed to run `config` for eca-nvim
...hare/nvim-astro5/lazy/lazy.nvim/lua/lazy/core/loader.lua:387: module 'eca-nvim' not found:
no field package.preload['eca-nvim']
cache_loader: module 'eca-nvim' not found
cache_loader_lib: module 'eca-nvim' not found
no file './eca-nvim.lua'
no file '/home/runner/work/neovim/neovim/.deps/usr/share/luajit-2.1/eca-nvim.lua'
no file '/usr/local/share/lua/5.1/eca-nvim.lua'
no file '/usr/local/share/lua/5.1/eca-nvim/init.lua'
no file '/home/runner/work/neovim/neovim/.deps/usr/share/lua/5.1/eca-nvim.lua'
no file '/home/runner/work/neovim/neovim/.deps/usr/share/lua/5.1/eca-nvim/init.lua'
no file './eca-nvim.so'
no file '/usr/local/lib/lua/5.1/eca-nvim.so'
no file '/home/runner/work/neovim/neovim/.deps/usr/lib/lua/5.1/eca-nvim.so'
no file '/usr/local/lib/lua/5.1/loadall.so'
no file '/home/practicalli/.local/share/nvim-astro5/lazy/blink.cmp/lua/blink/cmp/fuzzy/rust/../../../../../target/release/libeca-nvim.so'
no file '/home/practicalli/.local/share/nvim-astro5/lazy/blink.cmp/lua/blink/cmp/fuzzy/rust/../../../../../target/release/eca-nvim.so'
Plugin updates 2025-08-05λ︎
Updated (4) ● astrocommunity 0.14ms start b22f8a5 feat(pack): add nushell language pack (#1601) (4 hours ago)
● catppuccin 2.73ms colorscheme catppuccin-mocha astrocore
76a8d05 feat(blink): link signature help window border to `FloatBorder` (#904) (29 hours ago)
8fd0915 fix: misc tree-sitter and unset semantic tokens (#902) (2 days ago)
○ eca-nvim
f0ace79 Merge pull request #13 from editor-code-assistant/window-size-issue (23 hours ago)
0fc6da4 Merge pull request #14 from tomgeorge/test-library (23 hours ago)
86bfdd5 Update lua/eca/sidebar.lua (23 hours ago)
b05f641 Update lua/eca/sidebar.lua (23 hours ago)
4ce1df3 solving copilot comments pt2 (23 hours ago)
461bb01 solving copilot comments (23 hours ago)
db4e48b Trying to solve window size (23 hours ago)
0254e1d feat: Add a basic testing setup. (23 hours ago)
544d21b Merge pull request #12 from editor-code-assistant/updating-readme (24 hours ago)
aee7491 Updating Readme (24 hours ago)
6169a7b Merge pull request #11 from tomgeorge/vim-loop (24 hours ago)
1a5be09 Merge pull request #8 from editor-code-assistant/eca-logs (24 hours ago)
e8de598 Prefer vim.uv to vim.loop (24 hours ago)
cd8b18c add temporary demo.png (25 hours ago)
9f208af Creating EcaLogs cmd (25 hours ago)
a980b02 Merge pull request #7 from editor-code-assistant/windows-refactoring (26 hours ago)
fe3dbab Refactoring sections order (26 hours ago)
183824f Merge pull request #5 from tomgeorge/editorconfig (26 hours ago)
f971ce7 Merge pull request #6 from editor-code-assistant/improve-chat-ux (27 hours ago)
080b937 Remove chat headers (27 hours ago)
764c94e Add linter/formatter files (27 hours ago)
600e6cd update config (29 hours ago)
42c959b Fix readme new org (29 hours ago)
055b162 Migration to Nui.nvim and several fixes (30 hours ago)
e9296f1 Fixing contexts and adding auto repoMap (2 days ago)
47c9f34 Fixing Toggle and Session preservation (2 days ago)
131969f Eca interation working (at least chat) and all docs in english (2 days ago)
f92ac6a Deleting files (4 days ago)
29778fd Initial Ui done (4 days ago)
○ schemastore.nvim
Thank you.
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