A new artificial intelligence model called GPT-6.1 Sol now allows subscribers to access capabilities near the frontier Astra level for daily tasks. OpenAI is accompanying this release with the launch of a top-tier membership costing $500 per month, which provides "Ultrafast" access to tools including Codex and ChatGPT Work. The company has also reopened sign-ups for its Pro 200 plan, though it now provides 10 times the usage capacity of the Plus baseline, down from a previous 20 times multiplier.

The shifts in subscription limits aim to narrow the gap between membership value and pay-per-use API pricing. While the company removed a previous 5 hour usage cap to offer more flexible weekly access, some users have criticized the new structure as a reduction in value. The 50% drop in the Pro 200 multiplier, combined with the introduction of the $500 tier, has led critics to describe the changes as a way to end the subsidization of consumer plans.