In any activity you can take shortcuts that makes it easier. It's up to you how many (if any) you want.

Take woodworking for example. When I build a kitchen cabinet, I can get lumber that's already smooth and treated, I can buy drawer tracks, I can use power tools instead of a handsaw and a screwdriver, I can use a pocket hole jig to make joints easier. I still have to do more planning and assembling than with the Ikea cabinet, which also takes more work than having a contractor do everything for me.

I'm doing it my way because it's fun for me. Other people might enjoy other parts of the process - or different things altogether.

There's a whole spectrum between doing everything from scratch and paying someone to have it done for you.

I don't understand the question. For one thing I use local models mainly, but even if I didn't, I'd be buying the tokens from cloud model providers, not the prepackaged, fully complete software itself. I buy the tokens to make what I want.

It's actually quite similar to buying the services of a programmer off Upwork to build something for me, only with LLMs it's way cheaper and faster, with a shorter feedback loop.

Interesting that you think building is just coding.

What do you think architects do? Or interior designers? Or civil engineers?