OpenAI’s GPT-6.1 Sol delivers Astra-like performance at a dramatically lower price
OpenAI shipped GPT-6.1 Sol a day after shelving Astra on safety grounds—same performance, lower cost, at DevDay 2026.
Why it matters
OpenAI released a capability-matched alternative to its delayed Astra model, suggesting a pricing/safety tradeoff strategy. Practitioners need to know: does Sol carry the same safety concerns, what are the actual performance deltas, and what does this mean for Astra's future?
The key facts
5 to knowGPT-6.1 Sol announced at DevDay 2026
Positioned as Astra-like performance at lower cost
Released one day after OpenAI declined to release GPT-6.1 Astra over safety concerns
Specific pricing and performance benchmarks not disclosed in excerpt
Source: SiliconANGLE; full announcement details not provided in snippet
The story so far
Earlier coverage of this storyline
- GPT-6.1 Sol now available on AI GatewayVercel Blog
- Introducing GPT-6.1 SolOpenAI Blog
- GPT-6.1 Sol comes close to Astra at a fifth of the priceThe Decoder
- OpenAI launches GPT-6.1 Sol, says it nearly matches GPT-6 Astra and costs lessTechCrunch AI
- GPT 6.1 Sol: Near-Astra intelligence for a fifth of the priceSimon Willison
- This story
Go to the source
SiliconAnglesiliconangle.com
Publisher excerpt: Just a day after OpenAI Group PBC said it’s unwilling to release its latest model GPT-6.1 Astra on concerns over its safety, it has released a newer, almost as powerful model called GPT-6.1 Sol, which promises to deliver Astra-like performance at a much lower cost. The new model, announced at…