GitHub Copilot, one of the most popular AI coding tools, is changing its billing model - and developers aren't thrilled. From a flat monthly subscription, the service is moving to billing by tokens, that is, by consumption. The result: some users report bills jumping from 29 to as much as 750 dollars.

The "per token" model means you pay for every interaction with the AI - the more code you generate, the more complex the requests you send, the more you pay. Unlike a flat subscription where you know exactly what the month will cost, this model makes the bill unpredictable - dependent on how intensively you use the tool.

For professional developers who use Copilot all day long, the difference is dramatic. A tool that cost 29 dollars a month can suddenly cost ten times more, or more. And for companies with dozens of developers, that translates into budget lines that jump unpredictably from month to month.

This is part of a wider trend in the AI industry. Companies that initially offered tempting flat prices to attract users are now, once the dependence is established, moving to models that reflect the real cost of computing power. The user gets used to the tool, and then the price changes.

The point that remains is as old as business itself: onboarding is cheap, dependence is expensive. When a tool becomes irreplaceable in your workflow, the bargaining power shifts to whoever controls it. Developers are now learning that lesson - the tool is the same, but the price is suddenly a lottery.