ChatGPT allows unlimited free text chat
According to OpenAI's announcement, from next week, free and Go package users can text chat freely with ChatGPT. However, creating images, uploading files, and using voice tools in chatbots will still be limited.
According to Cnet, free and paid users will also use the new default model Luna - a low-cost compact version of GPT-5.6. OpenAI says Luna performs better than the current default model GPT-5.5 Instant, reducing the chance of false positives by 62%. Additionally, free users and Go plans will get a new "Think" button, allowing the chatbot to answer more difficult questions by spending more time processing the answer.
The update also has some changes for Plus and Pro plan users. According to TechCrunch, they will have access to an upgraded model of Sol, the highest performance version of GPT-5.6, that performs better on quick tasks like answering questions, researching on the web, consulting, planning, writing and decision making. The new model will provide more concise and certain answers, OpenAI notes.
Plus and Pro plan users also get the addition of a slider, which adjusts the level of thinking of the model based on the complexity and number of steps needed to solve the problem. According to OpenAI's internal evaluation, GPT-5.6 Sol makes 68% fewer false positives than GPT-5.5-Instant. Plus and Pro users can use the updated version of GPT-5.6 Sol from this week.
ChatGPT's series of changes take place after OpenAI announced it surpassed one billion users. According to AFP, the number of users includes all of the company's AI interfaces, mainly ChatGPT, in addition to Codex specializing in programming, ChatGPT Work, a platform that allows users to access external applications.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said earlier this year that costs are becoming an increasingly bigger issue for customers. In early July, the company released GPT-5.6 with three versions, of which Luna is priced at 1/5 of the highest performance version Sol. By July 30, the company announced a price reduction of Luna by up to 80%, making it one of the cheapest advanced models on the market, including models from China. The mid-range version, GPT-5.6 Terra, is also 20% off.