They might not have been ready/optimized for production, but still wanted to release it before Aug 2 EU AI Act, this way they have 2 years for compliance. So the strategy with aggressively rate-limit for few users make sense.

wheee, great way to lock in incumbents even more or lock out the EU from startups

Welcome to the lovely world of regulation, enjoy your stay.

If that’s the price to pay avoid poisoning myself with food to name only one thing that’s maybe not that bad.

I highly doubt that Europe needs dozen AI slop start ups.