AI Companies Should Avoid IBM-Style Lock-In

brianrkelly · x · 2026-07-10

The post references a lengthy piece by Brian Roemmele: if AI companies attempt to control users through customer lock-in, they will eventually become like IBM. Using IBM's early mainframe business model as a cautionary tale, the original text argues that over-reliance on high prices, proprietary software, and long-term support contracts makes enterprises sluggish in innovation and technological transitions.

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