So many people take for granted the fact that we can access search engines for free. They start to think it's some kind of inalienable right, and that tech companies need to spoonfeed us everything they make. If search engines like Google weren't selling user-data then it'd be a monthly subscription, because something this big just can't be a non-profit. If you don't want them selling your data then don't fucking use their stuff. And don't complain that it's so hard to live Google-free, because that just goes to show how far doing everything for free gets you.

Now don't get me wrong. Data theft is a huge problem on the internet, but in reality it's a necessary evil for platforms like Google to exist. Where data-theft is an actual problem is platforms that cost maybe two cents a day to run. 1001 Fonts does not need to be selling our fucking data. I probably host more than they do and I pay a grand total of ~$20 a year to do it. Now Google needs to be able to discover and index billions of pages, filter bad content, and serve it all to us as fast as possible. That needs some money.

Rumors state Google recently decided to roll out an update that included a local AI model. Typically companies don't have to sound an alarm and ask you for repeated, enthusiastic consent before updating their app you installed. This is not "installing an AI model without consent," this is called a fucking update. Just to pour salt in the wound, the Redditors go and point out the supposed climate costs. Because as we all know, the second you run a local LLM your PC actually turns into a coal powered AI datacenter.

Computers are evolving and you don't get to vote no on progress because it makes you uncomfy. Ten megabytes feels like nothing today, while 40 years ago that was a pimped-out hard drive. We're nearing the stage where four gigabytes is nearly nothing, so if you want to be a luddite don't go ruining it for everyone else. I would never use Chrome for anything, but I think it's great that there's this option of an AI integrated browser for those who want it. So fuck Reddit and hell yeah Google. If I had an app installed on billions of devices I'd roll out a 32GB AI model just to say fuck the broke motherfuckers. (Firefox is still better tho)