AI Coding's Cloud Crisis Spurs a Local-First Revolution

Cloud-dependent AI coding tools are hitting an economic ceiling: GitHub Copilot paused Pro+ signups, Cursor raised prices to $60/mo, and Claude Code may abandon its Pro tier. The solution gaining traction is local-first inference—running 80% of coding tasks on user hardware with local LLMs. This shift promises developers cost predictability and instant responsiveness while challenging the subscription model that currently dominates the market.