Unless you can run the LLM locally, on a computer you own, you are now completely dependent on a remote centralized system to do your work. Whoever controls that system can arbitrarily raise the prices, subtly manipulate the outputs, store and do anything they want with the inputs, or even suddenly cease to operate. And since, according to this article, only the latest and greatest LLM is acceptable (and I've seen that exact same argument six months ago), running locally is not viable (I've seen, in a recent discussion, someone mention a home server with something like 384G of RAM just to run one LLM locally).
To those of us who like Free Software because of the freedom it gives us, this is a severe regression.
The point being made here is that a developer that can only do their primary job of coding via a hosted LLM is entirely dependent on a third party.
You make a good point of course that independence is important. But primo, this ship sailed long ago, secundo, more than one party provides the service you depend on. If one failes you still have at least some alternatives.
That said I only find google results somewhat helpful. Its a lot like LLM code (not surprising given how they're trained), I may find 5 answers online and one or two has a small piece of what I need. Ultimately that may say me a bit of time or give me an idea for something I hadn't thought of, but it isn't core to my daily work by any stretch.