I'd pay for ChatGPT. As would many I assume.

I work in China as s programmer. The salary levels in the big cities are the same as Silicon Valley for the big international companies. I doubt many people would want to leave since the only place with comparable salaries are the big tech companies in the US. Also despite what you'd think from reading reddit, it's not like you feel that you have any less freedom here than elsewhere so no incentive to leave especially since money goes a lot further here.