I've thought about this a lot, and I kinda feel both ways about OpenAI and small businesses. On one hand, OpenAI putting out cheaper options like GPT-4o mini seriously helps small businesses get into AI without spending a ton. I know a friend's dad who runs a local shop and started using AI chatbots just because the price became doable.

But if you look at the big picture, there's still a risk. What if everyone ends up depending too much on OpenAI's stuff? Like, if all the tools, customer service, and content writing end up using OpenAI's AI, that could mean small businesses get trapped in one system. It's like when everyone moved their websites to a single hosting company, and now it costs a lot to switch or try something different.

So yeah, OpenAI's tactics look helpful now, but long term, if they become the only real game in town, smaller businesses might get squeezed by price hikes or rules they have no say in. It's something to watch out for, even while taking advantage of the cheaper models now.