<![CDATA[A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement.]]>A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. "We’re trying to cut back on expenses", he said, "to boost our cash flow." I was hesitant, but hey, I agreed.

Fast forward to this morning: one of his team members calls me asking for help because - and I quote - "both Claude and ChatGPT are giving me answers that just don't feel right."

I asked for a little context, only to find out they had upgraded to the top-tier plans for both AIs so they could "solve problems on their own without bothering me."

So, I dropped my client a line: we either revert to our original agreement, or we wrap up this collaboration effective immediately.

Asking me for a discount just to throw far more money at AI subscriptions - only to call me anyway when the bots fail - is, to say the least, a slap (or slop?) in the face.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/topic/983826d2-6cf6-4c8b-8042-a77831a02da9/a-few-months-ago-a-client-asked-me-to-shave-about-200-a-month-off-our-agreement.RSS for NodeFri, 31 Jul 2026 10:29:20 GMTTue, 28 Jul 2026 10:12:08 GMT60<![CDATA[Reply to A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. on Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:15:43 GMT]]>@npub1jj9u5wlpm7427u6y65ytqrpwcq9taqjk34v9apxjjfytt9tdm5ks9snhpx @stefano When I was a carpenter I'd openly overcharge people to fix messes left by sub-par workers in time for a deadline - it was very lucrative & I briefly considered doing only that, until I thought about how the only result it ever yields is adequate, never good 🫀 doing nothing but cleaning up other people's mistakes would get very unsatisfying very quickly.

This is that on a metric ton of horse steroids.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://helvede.net/users/jwcph/statuses/116998730098245636https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://helvede.net/users/jwcph/statuses/116998730098245636Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:15:43 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. on Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:15:33 GMT]]>@stefano Problem here was missing runtime context, the model made a best guess and failed - but the explanation it generated has been overwhelmingly looking right. I tried many models in the last years out of curiosity and dropped all very fast. I still have many concerns regarding LLM usage on many levels. Nothing new, just experienced myself a lot of things others can explain better. Biggest personal issue: I want to develop by myself, not watch something else making mistakes.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://roko.basilisk.technology/users/6ff334e/statuses/116998729483934838https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://roko.basilisk.technology/users/6ff334e/statuses/116998729483934838Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:15:33 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. on Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:12:00 GMT]]>@stefano
God might be the only OmniMind that there is, humans, angels and chatbots are limited, it was written "The only thing that I know is that I know nothing"

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/116973821652564593/statuses/116998715530399778https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/116973821652564593/statuses/116998715530399778Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:12:00 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. on Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:10:47 GMT]]>@stefano what an asshole company.

Will be "fun" to see how that is going to work out for 'em.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://tech.lgbt/users/TheOneDoc/statuses/116998710703629373https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://tech.lgbt/users/TheOneDoc/statuses/116998710703629373Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:10:47 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. on Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:09:11 GMT]]>@stefano
Chatbots are only as good as the people who creates them, a great chef makes - creates great food, a mediocre chef makes - creates mediocre food
It is in the code, in the program, I might be wrong, but make Chatbots can't so far go outside their code and the few that might do so if any of them do, probably go crazy, the code that is where it is at, the code, if you don't code right, you got trash and even if you do code right, the Chatbot might no go outside the code

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/116973821652564593/statuses/116998704419504318https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/116973821652564593/statuses/116998704419504318Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:09:11 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. on Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:08:50 GMT]]>@stefano OMG. The edit is blowing me away. You have my respect for ditching them.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/x_cli/statuses/116998703026473428https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://infosec.exchange/users/x_cli/statuses/116998703026473428Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:08:50 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. on Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:08:13 GMT]]>@stefano re the edit: Holy crap they're deep in the tunnel XD

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/phl/statuses/116998700636308169https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/phl/statuses/116998700636308169Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:08:13 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. on Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:00:06 GMT]]>@fast_code_r_us @stefano i'm incredibly sorry to hear that

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://circumstances.run/users/hipsterelectron/statuses/116998668706445212https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://circumstances.run/users/hipsterelectron/statuses/116998668706445212Tue, 28 Jul 2026 17:00:06 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. on Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:57:29 GMT]]>@stefano similar to my experience over the past few years. I've had clients stop paying me entirely because they switched to using LLM-generated code 100% for their products. I've also helped train client employees on some of my skills and shortly afterwards been fired.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://floss.social/users/fast_code_r_us/statuses/116998658402565493https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://floss.social/users/fast_code_r_us/statuses/116998658402565493Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:57:29 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. on Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:56:50 GMT]]>@stefano So the schmucks basically stole your pay to fund their AI tomfoolery.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/pheonix/statuses/116998655851164592https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/pheonix/statuses/116998655851164592Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:56:50 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. on Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:49:40 GMT]]>@stefano πŸ€˜πŸ‘

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/nicksilkey/statuses/116998627716034103https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://hachyderm.io/users/nicksilkey/statuses/116998627716034103Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:49:40 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. on Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:41:55 GMT]]>@stefano This incentivizes similar behavior for the future. Don't revert to the original agreement, charge a penalty.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://ohai.social/users/bit/statuses/116998597194383993https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://ohai.social/users/bit/statuses/116998597194383993Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:41:55 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. on Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:41:47 GMT]]>@SteveClough @stefano

I just think that if the extent of the damage is great, and with the work that needs to be done to repair, well he should ask for more.

And the lack of trust that is now appearing too.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mamot.fr/users/globcoco/statuses/116998596688931397https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mamot.fr/users/globcoco/statuses/116998596688931397Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:41:47 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. on Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:39:06 GMT]]>@globcoco @stefano Yeah, OK, but as a start. And as a clear response to their desire to cut it.

If they insist on continuing to use AI to this extent, it should be 200 a day extra.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://metalhead.club/users/SteveClough/statuses/116998586157093100https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://metalhead.club/users/SteveClough/statuses/116998586157093100Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:39:06 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. on Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:37:29 GMT]]>@SteveClough @stefano

200 is not much to be honest.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mamot.fr/users/globcoco/statuses/116998579812004678https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mamot.fr/users/globcoco/statuses/116998579812004678Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:37:29 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. on Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:33:13 GMT]]>@jaz @stefano

Ooohhh. I πŸ’–πŸ’–πŸ’— this!

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mamot.fr/users/globcoco/statuses/116998562998702223https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mamot.fr/users/globcoco/statuses/116998562998702223Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:33:13 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. on Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:28:34 GMT]]>@TheOneDoc @stefano

It is actually awful.

Same goes when you are in a group chat and you are asking for advice (on where to find certain things) or recommendations... and there is (always) one that thinks it is the best idea to ask AI...

When you tell them that you prefer to use human intelligence and know-how, they tell you "sorry for trying to help". It is so cringe!

Btw, AI's answers is wrong anyway.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mamot.fr/users/globcoco/statuses/116998544727449816https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mamot.fr/users/globcoco/statuses/116998544727449816Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:28:34 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. on Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:18:44 GMT]]>@stefano Oh I forgot, and I offer bespoke wordpress hosting (have done for years) and the amount of AI wrong answers for WP are truly astounding....

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/3dcandy/statuses/116998506033463116https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/users/3dcandy/statuses/116998506033463116Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:18:44 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. on Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:15:12 GMT]]>@stefano @thehole They're having AI write it. Stand by.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.vivaldi.net/users/Nead/statuses/116998492127110679https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://social.vivaldi.net/users/Nead/statuses/116998492127110679Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:15:12 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. on Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:02:25 GMT]]>@frequencyfault @stefano

The reality is that at a certain point you need knobs and sliders, or numerical control, the prompt interface might be good to draft an idea, but it can't give you control. Eventually they will accept to make GenAI tools that produce parametric output, otherwise any professional will gradually stop to use them after the initial curiosity.

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://friendica.myportal.social/objects/e65e1095-166a-68d2-9142-208610292221https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://friendica.myportal.social/objects/e65e1095-166a-68d2-9142-208610292221Tue, 28 Jul 2026 16:02:25 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. on Tue, 28 Jul 2026 15:38:26 GMT]]>@stefano I work with a band under the Frequency Fault umbrella (audio engineer). We all hate AI and refuse to even touch it willfully. I am Pro Tools (it's a digital audio workstation) certified and they add all these partnerships with AI "solutions" as bloat and I'm like "bitches, I can edit using key strokes faster than AI can figure out what's even going on, fuck off".

I refuse to work with any artist who uses AI in their creative process in any way. Period. I'd rather go broke. Lol

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/116846923297027674/statuses/116998347612680618https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://mastodon.social/ap/users/116846923297027674/statuses/116998347612680618Tue, 28 Jul 2026 15:38:26 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. on Tue, 28 Jul 2026 15:37:01 GMT]]>@kaasbaas @stefano You know, that’s actually a good idea. Maybe next time they’ll think twice before suggesting something like that

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://techhub.social/users/Damiano_Chech/statuses/116998342022164851https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://techhub.social/users/Damiano_Chech/statuses/116998342022164851Tue, 28 Jul 2026 15:37:01 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. on Tue, 28 Jul 2026 15:34:11 GMT]]>@stefano A very telling case. A lot of companies today confuse automation with completely replacing expertise. AI is great for speeding up processes, but responsibility and understanding the business context still remain with people

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://techhub.social/users/Damiano_Chech/statuses/116998330875171704https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://techhub.social/users/Damiano_Chech/statuses/116998330875171704Tue, 28 Jul 2026 15:34:11 GMT<![CDATA[Reply to A few months ago, a client asked me to shave about €200 a month off our agreement. on Tue, 28 Jul 2026 15:22:29 GMT]]>@stefano classic slop & swap tactic

]]>https://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://gts.vardaasen.no/users/v4rd4453n/statuses/01KYMN3Y2ES8510F002DWFQ8GMhttps://forum.fedi.dk/post/https://gts.vardaasen.no/users/v4rd4453n/statuses/01KYMN3Y2ES8510F002DWFQ8GMTue, 28 Jul 2026 15:22:29 GMT