The Rationing: AI companies are using the "subsidize, addict, extract" playbook — and developers are the product

Anthropic just ran the classic platform playbook on developers: offer generous limits to build dependency, then tighten the screws once the workflow is locked in. Their Spring Break promotion doubled off-peak limits for two weeks. It expired Saturday. Monday morning, developers are hitting walls they didn't have two weeks ago. The economics tell the story. Anthropic reportedly spends $2-3 per hour of heavy Claude Code usage. They charge $20/month. The math doesn't work - every power user is a net loss. The promotion wasn't a gift; it was a stress test ahead of a potential $60B.