OpenAI says it will pause new $200/month ChatGPT Pro subscriptions amid "unprecedented" Astra demand; existing accounts, other plans, and API are unaffected (Tibo/@thsottiaux)
ThinkingNews Desk · how this was written
OpenAI has paused new sign-ups for its $200-per-month ChatGPT Pro plan because demand for the Astra model is straining system capacity. Existing Pro users, all other subscription tiers, and the API remain available. Astra, launched on September 3, is being rolled out to Pro, Plus, Enterprise, and Business accounts.
Written from all 3 reports below, not from any single one.
How it was reported
- TechMeme·OpenAI says it will pause new $200/month ChatGPT Pro subscriptions amid "unprecedented" Astra demand; existing accounts, other plans, and API are unaffected (Tibo/@thsottiaux)
OpenAI is temporarily halting new subscriptions to its $200-per-month ChatGPT Pro plan because demand for the Astra feature has surged beyond expectations, straining system capacity. Existing Pro users, all other subscription tiers, and the API will continue operating without interruption. The pause is intended to preserve performance for current customers while broader access to Astra is maintained.
- TechCrunch·OpenAI puts Pro subscriptions on hold due to Astra demand
OpenAI stopped new sign-ups for its $200-per-month Pro plan due to infrastructure strain from demand for the Astra model. The suspension applies only to the Pro tier; API, Go and Plus plans remain available. Astra, launched September 3, is being rolled out to Pro, Plus, Enterprise and Business accounts.
- The Next Web·OpenAI pauses $200 ChatGPT Pro sign-ups as Astra demand strains its systems
OpenAI stopped new sign-ups for the $200 “Pro 20X” tier because demand for its Astra model, released 3 September, is straining its infrastructure. The $100 Pro plan and other tiers stay available. Astra runs only in U.S. Azure regions, so European users cannot ensure EU-local data storage. OpenAI is expanding capacity but has not announced when the paused tier will reopen.
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- OpenAI scraps plans to publicly launch a model dubbed GPT-6.1 Astra, saying it didn't quite meet its safety bar; it had been targeting an October release (Maxwell Zeff/Wall Street Journal)5 outlets
- OpenAI has a new $100 ChatGPT Pro plan to better match up with Claude6 outlets