Thinking about recent discussion around OpenAI’s costs + monetization, I keep coming back to two small, non-flashy ideas that target behavior, not raw usage.
Idea 1: a weekly “Curious” tier ($4.99/week)
Not a cheaper Go—an intentional bridge between Free and paid. Weekly pricing reframes the decision as experiential, not contractual, lowering the psychological barrier to first payment. Many users don’t want “a subscription,” they want “this week with better tools.”
Idea 2: unlock limited human escalation for any paid tier
Not heavy support—just the knowledge that a human exists if needed. Most users wouldn’t use it often, but its presence changes trust, retention, and perceived accountability in a way pure AI can’t.
The interesting part is how these pair:
one monetizes curiosity; the other anchors commitment.
Neither is about more tokens—both are about how people decide.
Curious whether others working on AI products have tested similar ideas, or seen data one way or the other.