OpenAI Launches GPT-6.1 Terra With 50% Lower Costs and 3x Faster Performance

OpenAI has introduced GPT-6.1 Terra, a new AI model that promises faster performance, improved reasoning, and significantly lower costs. The model targets everyday tasks, writing, computer use, and more complex workflows, offering an alternative to OpenAI’s larger models.

GPT-6.1 Terra delivers better performance at lower costs

According to OpenAI’s announcement, GPT-6.1 Terra builds on GPT-5.6 Terra with improvements in computer use, visual reasoning, research, and software engineering.

The company claims the new model costs 50% less than both GPT-6.1 Sol and GPT-5.6 Terra while delivering better performance across several benchmarks.

In the Agents’ Last Exam benchmark, GPT-6.1 Terra achieved 15% better performance than GPT-5.6 Terra while reducing costs by 67% at medium reasoning effort.

At maximum reasoning effort, the model also demonstrated three times greater efficiency than Anthropic’s Claude Opus 5.5.

OpenAI also claims GPT-6.1 Terra can complete tasks more than three times faster than GPT-6 Astra and GPT-6.1 Sol. The model also outperformed its predecessor in the OSWorld 2.1 computer-use benchmark.

OpenAI improves visual reasoning and reliability

GPT-6.1 Terra also brings improvements to visual understanding and computer interaction.

On the MMMU-Pro benchmark, the model outperformed GPT-5.6 Terra across all tests and reportedly matched GPT-6 Astra and GPT-5.6 Sol in visual reasoning.

These improvements allow the model to handle tasks ranging from document interpretation and technical drawings to video editing and precise computer interaction.

OpenAI says GPT-6.1 Terra also follows instructions more reliably, respects task boundaries, and better recognizes situations where it cannot complete a request.

GPT-6.1 Terra pricing and availability

GPT-6.1 Terra is available through ChatGPT Work and Codex for eligible Plus, Pro, Enterprise, and Edu customers.

Developers can also access the model through OpenAI’s API at the following prices:

• Input tokens: $1 per million tokens.
• Cached input tokens: $0.05 per million tokens.
• Output tokens: $5 per million tokens.

The lower pricing could make GPT-6.1 Terra an attractive option for businesses and developers handling large volumes of AI requests without requiring the capabilities of OpenAI’s most expensive models.

The launch follows several other OpenAI developments, including plans to introduce visual ads during ChatGPT image generation and add invisible watermarks to ChatGPT and Codex text in the EU.

OpenAI has also introduced an intelligent user interface with GPT-6, making ChatGPT responses more visual and interactive.