I agree it won’t become obsolete. Any moron with a PC can download open source AI for free. Will it be useful? Well a man working at a spring factory came out with the “Slinky” toy and it was a fad as a toy. In jungle combat, it was later repurposed as a radio antenna. You could toss the slinky up into a tree and it was a sure bet it would get stuck. Then you attach your antenna wire to the slinky to get a good signal. Today this use has been replaced with better microwave transmitters. Slinky spring toys are still sold in stores, it is only a matter of time before they are again repurposed.
Not when the software is available for free. The only reason you would need a subscription is to access non local servers. As it stands, I made three music videos inside 2 months for free from services begging for subscriptions and subscribers. I am a drain on their revenues. The free open source will improve over time and so will PC hardware, making these subscription services obsolete.
Also I don’t think it is a good idea, for any government, to invest tax payers money into AI. It should be up to the person paying the taxes, and not a politician with no idea how a computer functions. Also most governments are not going to look at AI in beneficial ways, they will desire to weaponize it.