Did I Make Money with AI?

Source: Dev.to

No! 😂

Hi, I’m Gudong, a software engineer from China.

Today I thought of an interesting topic: Did I make money with AI?

No, quite the opposite—I actually spent quite a bit.

1. Let’s Do the Math

It started with Trae at 60 yuan per month. Then I bought their priority pass—$10 (around 600+ yuan), and I bought it 4 or 5 times.

Later I discovered Claude Code—54 yuan for the first three months. After buying it, I found out it’s limited to 5 hours per day. Once I use that up, I can’t use it anymore, so I bought another one with a different account and will probably buy more in the future.

There’s also DeepSeek—I spent money on their API for inBox Notes.

All of this is money going out, nothing coming in. Adding it up, it should be around 500–600 yuan by now.

Speaking of Trae, there’s something that makes me “jealous”—you can see it in the bills above. Later, chatting with a former colleague, I found out Trae is free inside ByteDance. They don’t have to spend any money at all. So jealous!

2. But Does That Matter?

Despite spending all this money, I’m still willing to keep doing it.

Why? For me personally, AI programming doesn’t have to be measured by “whether it makes money.” You have to think of it as a creative act—you’re using a tool to create things. This sense of pleasure, this dopamine rush—money often can’t buy that.

Spending this money lets me enjoy creating, sharing, discovering, and expanding my boundaries in the world of code. That, in itself, is value.

3. Buying Enjoyment

I’m someone who loves tinkering with products and tools. Now I have AI helping me expand my capabilities, and I really enjoy this process.

So I think spending money on AI is like buying a game, or paying to play basketball. It’s a form of enjoyment, an investment in mental assets. I didn’t make money, but I’m always happy to spend money and time on it. This is the magic of AI—the power of AI. The world of AI is too crazy, too wonderful.

4. This Moment Belongs to Everyone

It might be easier for me as a programmer to get started, but for many ordinary people this moment will come sooner or later. As long as you’re a creative person with ideas, you’ll eventually discover the magic of AI—the changes and meaning it brings to our lives.

For example, I wrote a few days ago about using AI to reply to emails and “argue” with reviewers. There’s so much more—AI can actually help us do many things. In this process, spending money doesn’t really matter. When you’re immersed in the process, you feel like you’re buying enjoyment, an experience, a different kind of life experience.

Conclusion

Returning to the question at the beginning of this article: Did I make money with AI?

Actually, the question itself is problematic. It carries a naked utilitarianism, as if everything must be tied to money. But that’s not how it should be. You like playing basketball, playing games, painting—would you measure these hobbies by “did you make money”? No.

AI is the same. It’s just a technology, a tool. We shouldn’t look at it with utilitarian eyes, but instead think: how to combine with it? How to integrate into it?

There’s a saying: “get your hands dirty, dive in.” Only by diving in and participating can you reap a different kind of harvest.

I’m Gudong. Spending money to buy happiness—totally worth it.