Wonderful option to have: "Subscribe, and we'll improve your efficiency by 10%++"

OPTION

Another option would be "we'll send you a download with the latest weightings for our optimizing AI firmware for $14.95, or every month for a subscription of $49/year" whatever.

I, and most other sharp people will happily ignore you and buy a system that is 50% less efficient and twice the cost to avoid your lock-in.

I'll also happily buy and subscribe to your reasonably-priced optimization service as long as it is OPTIONAL.

Just look at the nearly violent reaction that BMW got when they suggested that their heated seats would be a subscription option.

If you want your company to die before it even gets started, keep making excuses for why you need to lock us in.

If you want a growth giant, architect it from scratch so someone can happily use it where Starlink doesn't even service, and offer extra-efficiency OPTIONS that OPTIONALLY use internet service.

And yes, open-sourcing the code would be a huge step in giving people confidence that you are serious, and that their investment has a future that is not a brick.