Currently I doubt I will notice this change, only when I hit 0 action points which only really happens if I cross a huge gate, then I will notice and be annoyed. The problem is that newer players will much more often hit 0 action points, this hurts them not us.
The past approach to our action points was to give us viscosity, then to give us action points for active days, then to increase costs for gates, then to give us cartography. Excuse me if I miss one, like land loyalty, or this was out of order. But to put it in general terms: Higher AP cost, more AP, higher AP cost, lower AP cost.