I don't see an issue with that to be honest.
Say you bought a 5900(non x) for $300(two functional chiplets that have 2 cores disable each), then you would like to upgrade to the 5950X, you can sell the used CPU and put the difference to upgrade to a $700 5950X, but if AMD give you the option to unlock four cores and OC capabilities by downloading a Firmware for $100? How is that not the best way to upgrade?
Or if Intel lets you upgrade from a 12600K to a fully functional 12900K by Firmware alone? That saves a lot of time on physically upgrading your CPU
AMD is not going to sell you a 5900 with defective chiplets, that is 12 core now and forever, for the same price as a 16 core part artificially disabled to 12 cores in hopes that you will one day pay to unlock those cores. The non-defective 12 core that can be unlocked to 16 core will cost more up front.
This "renting" of software and hardware is the pot of gold at the end of the rainbow for manufacturers if they can actually ram it down our throats. Monthly fees forever and they can raise rates whenever they need to increase revenue because they have you by the you know what.
No thanks. Been there, done that with Comcast when they gave us "free" digital adapter boxes that are currently $5/month to rent. That's why I ditched Comcast's TV service 2 years ago.
That renting "pot of gold" for manufacturers is the pot we slowly boil to death in financially.