<\/p>\n
With its recent API access cost increases causing much angst inside the developer community, Twitter has come back with a recent API access tier<\/a>, which is able to provide more tweet access for a more reasonable price.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n As highlighted above, the recent \u2018Pro\u2019 tweet API offering<\/a> provides developers with access to one million tweets per 30 days, on the low, low price of $5k per 30 days \u2013 or $60k every year. Which, for some, will likely be an improvement than the prevailing access points, which have already priced many developers and academics out of their various projects. But still, $5k per 30 days for one million tweets is quite a bit \u2013 especially when Twitter\u2019s free API access, up till February this 12 months, provided developers with similar access to this, freed from cost.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Twitter\u2019s recent API access charges<\/a>, which it\u2019s implemented to combat the creation of bot armies<\/a>, are a big jump on the previous costs, with Elon and Co. also seeking to do all that they’ll to herald more revenue for the corporate.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The updated pricing immediately saw many public service tools, like transport alerts, announce that they\u2019d be canceling their automated Twitter updates<\/a> \u2013 though Twitter has since announced that approved services like these will still have the option to access the API totally free.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n One of the vital essential use cases for the Twitter API has at all times been public utility. Verified gov or publicly owned services who tweet weather alerts, transport updates and emergency notifications may use the API, for these critical purposes, totally free.<\/p>\n \u2014 Twitter Dev (@TwitterDev) May 2, 2023<\/a><\/p><\/blockquote><\/div>\n But that doesn\u2019t cover many other bot tools and services that also provide value, and the chance in Twitter\u2019s approach is that it could turn into a less helpful utility because of this, which can eventually impact usage.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n But as noted, Musk sees the API as a possible vector for bot swarms. And as with Twitter Blue, Elon\u2019s hoping that by tacking on extra charges to such access, that\u2019ll effectively make it cost-prohibitive for bot creators to maintain running their schemes.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Though there’s one other potential consideration in Musk\u2019s API and access price rises, which is more aligned together with his own personal grievances.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Twitter\u2019s also taking over Microsoft<\/a> over its use of Twitter data, via API access, which it claims is beyond the restrictions imposed inside Microsoft\u2019s approved usage. Microsoft is now partnered with OpenAI<\/a>, an organization that Elon once had a big investment in<\/a>, and Musk\u2019s view is that OpenAI has essentially stolen Twitter data to coach its LLM systems, with a view to fuel generative AI tools like ChatGPT.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n The transient summary is that Elon gave OpenAI thousands and thousands of dollars to help in its development, then sought to take over as CEO of the corporate in 2018,<\/a> with a view to hasten its progress. OpenAI rebutted Musk\u2019s offer, which then saw Elon turn his back on it, and pull all of his future funding pledges. But OpenAI had already taken some thousands and thousands from Musk \u2013 and now that OpenAI is making big money from its generative AI tools, Elon is outwardly not completely happy that he isn\u2019t going to get a dime of that intake, despite his early involvement. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n This may very well be one other consider his decision to hike up the value of Twitter API access, with a view to restrict other firms from taking Twitter\u2019s proprietary data, and profiting off of his content in an analogous way.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Elon\u2019s also constructing his own generative AI model<\/a>, which will likely be freed from \u2018woke bias\u2019, and every little thing considered, it\u2019s not beyond the scope of possibility that Elon\u2019s pushing up the prices of Twitter API access with a view to fend off his various business rivals. <\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n (Note that Twitter can be asking API subscribers to remove any previously downloaded data<\/a>, or face further legal recourse)<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Though the fundamental impetus appears to be Twitter\u2019s must diversify its income, with subscriptions, API access and promoting ideally settling right into a more equal share of the corporate\u2019s revenue pie.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Which seems unlikely to be the top result, but Elon\u2019s trying recent things – and possibly there\u2019s enough potential indicators there to maintain pushing, with a view to maximize Twitter\u2019s opportunities. Or possibly there\u2019s not, and eventually, Twitter could have to walk these changes back. That approach is seemingly a part of what\u2019s made Musk successful, his willingness to try to fail in public, and possibly, it would present potential recent opportunities for the business.<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n Twitter\u2019s recent API pricing system<\/a> is now in effect. \u00a0<\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/span><\/p>\n<\/div>\n\n