There are other issues that cause immense monopolistic behavior. (Note that even in open source, “Linux” is closer to a monoculture than not due to shared critical components such as drivers and the kernel)
High cost to train any large AI system
High cost to validate it on real world tasks
At any given time, especially for real world tasks, some systems will be measurably better
Tool chain. The ecosystem around models is at least as monopolistic if not more than the models themselves. Probably much more. There are immensely complicated cloud based stacks you need, you need realtime components so models can be used for robotics, you need simulators and a pathway to get legal approval and common infrastructure of all sorts. All of which is enormously difficult and expensive to write, it’s a natural Monopoly unless the dominate player imposes unreasonable rules or supplies poor quality software. (See Apple and Microsoft)
Pricing. Monopolies can charge a price low enough no competition can break even.
There are other issues that cause immense monopolistic behavior. (Note that even in open source, “Linux” is closer to a monoculture than not due to shared critical components such as drivers and the kernel)
High cost to train any large AI system
High cost to validate it on real world tasks
At any given time, especially for real world tasks, some systems will be measurably better
Tool chain. The ecosystem around models is at least as monopolistic if not more than the models themselves. Probably much more. There are immensely complicated cloud based stacks you need, you need realtime components so models can be used for robotics, you need simulators and a pathway to get legal approval and common infrastructure of all sorts. All of which is enormously difficult and expensive to write, it’s a natural Monopoly unless the dominate player imposes unreasonable rules or supplies poor quality software. (See Apple and Microsoft)
Pricing. Monopolies can charge a price low enough no competition can break even.