Plainly Articles https://withplainly.com/posts Guides on DeepSeek, open AI models, and cheap ChatGPT alternatives. en-au Why dual-wield AI? Because there's no single best model — and that's the problem https://withplainly.com/posts/why-dual-wield-ai https://withplainly.com/posts/why-dual-wield-ai There is no single best AI model, so power users dual-wield — frontier models for high-stakes work, cheap open-source models for everything else. Here's my real split, why it works, and why most people should not copy it. Sat, 29 Aug 2026 23:00:00 GMT Why is ChatGPT so expensive? The cost structure behind $20 a month https://withplainly.com/posts/why-is-chatgpt-so-expensive https://withplainly.com/posts/why-is-chatgpt-so-expensive ChatGPT was never built to be cheap. Billions in funding, the most advanced chips available, and no cost pressure — the $20 price is a side effect of optimising for maximum power. The full cost structure, explained. Fri, 28 Aug 2026 23:00:00 GMT Which AI model should I use? The honest answer: none, and that's the point https://withplainly.com/posts/you-dont-pick-a-model https://withplainly.com/posts/you-dont-pick-a-model You shouldn't have to pick an AI model. The frontier changes every few days and every model is good at something different — a good default beats a menu. Here's why choosing is the failure mode. Thu, 27 Aug 2026 23:00:00 GMT