OpenAI has decided to temporarily pause the acceptance of new subscriptions to ChatGPT Pro, a plan with a monthly cost of US$ 200 (approximately R$ 1,050). This measure was implemented due to the unprecedented demand for the new artificial intelligence (AI) model, GPT-6 Astra.
Tibo Sottiaux, a member of the team responsible for Codex at OpenAI, announced the suspension on Thursday (10th). He explained that the company is dedicating all its resources to meet the demand generated by Astra, but the current priority is to ensure a satisfactory experience for users who are already subscribers to the service.
Subsequently, the company confirmed the halt of new enrollments in the Pro plan, justifying that this subscription level exerts the greatest pressure on OpenAI's infrastructure. However, this interruption does not affect customers who already have a Pro subscription; other plans and the API remain accessible while OpenAI works to increase its operational capacity.
The pressure on servers is attributed to the launch of GPT-6 Astra, which occurred on September 3rd. This model began to be released progressively to paying customers, covering users on Plus, Pro, Business, and Enterprise plans, as well as developers using the API.
OpenAI described Astra as its most sophisticated model, highlighting that it represents a significant advance in areas such as programming, cybersecurity, navigation, and professional tasks involving computer use. Despite this, the demand exceeded the company's internal projections, as stated by Sottiaux: 'We are facing truly unprecedented demand for Astra.'
This decision comes just days after the launch of Astra caused access difficulties for paying users. Initially, the model was introduced gradually, prioritizing certain clients and applications. OpenAI acknowledged that the initial implementation was problematic and took steps to compensate users who faced barriers to accessing the new feature.
Currently, the company faces a distinct challenge: the excessive volume of users wanting to use the new AI simultaneously. OpenAI has not yet specified how long the suspension of new Pro subscriptions will last, actively working to expand its systems before reopening registrations for the US$ 200 plan.
