When every competitor races to add "AI included," the instinct is to match them and give it away. That instinct trains the whole market to value AI at zero — and then you can never charge for it.

The packaging play

  1. Carve AI into its own capability layer, available across tiers as an add-on or reserved for higher tiers.
  2. Anchor it to a job, not a buzzword. "AI" is not a feature; "drafts your replies" is. Sell the outcome.
  3. Let the free tier taste, not feast. A capped free allowance proves value; unlimited free destroys it.
  4. Bundle at the top. Make the premium AI capability a headline reason to upgrade to your highest tier.

Bottom line: AI is leverage you built — charge for it as a premium capability, or you teach the market it's worth nothing.