Latency as Class Signal: How Response Speed Became a Status Symbol for AI Access

You type a prompt. The cursor blinks. One second. Two seconds. Five. You're on the free tier. Across town, a premium user types the same prompt. The response appears almost instantly. They don't even notice the wait. You do. The difference is not just about speed. It's about status. The machine is telling you, silently, that you matter less. This is latency as class signal: the use of response speed to create a visible, felt hierarchy in AI interaction. Premium users get faster responses. Free users wait. The difference is not just technical.