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OPENAI SLASHES GPT-5.6 SOL PRICES BY 20%

AI DESK2 MIN READ
FRI, AUG 21, 2026

■ AI-SUMMARIZED FROM 1 SOURCE ▸ TIMELINE

OpenAI cut API and credit prices for its frontier GPT-5.6 Sol model by over 20% for three months. Input tokens now cost $4 per million, while output tokens cost $20 per million.

OpenAI announced Friday a significant price reduction for developers using GPT-5.6 Sol, its most advanced language model. The cuts represent a 20% discount across both input and output token pricing, effective immediately through a three-month window. Under the new pricing structure, input tokens cost $4 per million tokens, while output tokens cost $20 per million. The reduction applies to both API access and OpenAI's credit system, making the frontier model more accessible to developers and enterprises. The move comes as OpenAI continues to compete in an increasingly crowded AI market. Competitors like Anthropic, Google, and Meta have released their own advanced models, intensifying pressure on pricing across the industry. OpenAI did not specify why it chose a three-month window for the discount or whether the prices might revert after the period expires. The company has previously used limited-time pricing adjustments to encourage adoption of newer models. GPT-5.6 Sol represents OpenAI's current frontier offering in its product lineup. The price reduction could accelerate enterprise adoption and increase token consumption volumes, offsetting the per-token revenue decrease through higher overall usage. Developers using OpenAI's API should update their cost projections to account for the reduced pricing. Those considering migration from competitor models may find the temporary discount period attractive for testing and integration work. The timing coincides with increased competition in the large language model space and growing scrutiny over AI pricing models across the industry. OpenAI's move suggests the company is prioritizing market share expansion over near-term revenue maximization.

■ SOURCES

Techmeme

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