Kunal Gandhi warns Claude Max subscription squeezes Indian tech pay
AI coding tools are getting pricey for Indian techies.
Entrepreneur Kunal Gandhi pointed out that a $100 a month Claude Max subscription eats up almost 15% of the monthly salary for someone earning ₹8 lakh a year, and with the rupee slipping, it's even tougher on the wallet.
He warned these costs could especially hurt those just starting out in IT.
Calls grow for employer paid subscriptions
Now, people are asking if employers should step in and cover these tool costs since companies benefit from higher productivity.
With taxes and exchange rates, subscriptions can reach nearly ₹12,000 a month, no small change.
The debate has also sparked calls for more homegrown AI tools or open-source alternatives to cut reliance on expensive foreign software, and help India stay competitive globally.