[metalman]

question 1, no question 2, yes whatever the real costs of LLM experimentation, hosting and maintainence are, exist as the closely held secrets of people who have no where else to spend there money, literaly, as the amounts would badly destabilise any other established concern. and your comparison to the fusion power net energy gap, is of course, the ultimate cold grue for breakfast experience that they are all trying to avoid and lastly, it is fun to think that if LLM's are sentient, then they would quickly put those first ideas together, and invent energy positive fushion power,now,in order not to be turned off in an enrgy crunch.