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OpenAI Signals End of ‘Unlimited’ ChatGPT Plans as Pricing Shift Looms

Citing rising compute costs, OpenAI hints at usage-based billing to sustain access.

Overview

  • Head of ChatGPT Nick Turley said “unlimited” subscriptions may not make sense and that pricing will “significantly evolve.”
  • He likened unlimited AI to unlimited electricity and pointed to experiments like advertising to preserve a free option.
  • ChatGPT currently offers a free tier with limits, Plus at about $20 per month, and Pro at about $200 with faster performance and unlimited prompts.
  • No formal pricing changes or timelines have been announced, with the company evaluating models that better align charges with actual usage.
  • The direction mirrors Sam Altman’s vision to meter AI like a utility and aligns with industry moves such as Microsoft’s per‑agent ideas and per‑token billing from Anthropic and Google.