OpenAI Pauses $200 Pro Sign-Ups as Astra Demand Strains Infrastructure
Updated
Updated · TechCrunch · Sep 10
OpenAI Pauses $200 Pro Sign-Ups as Astra Demand Strains Infrastructure
3 articles · Updated · TechCrunch · Sep 10
Summary
New subscriptions to OpenAI’s $200-a-month Pro plan have been temporarily disabled after demand for the Astra model overwhelmed the company’s systems.
OpenAI said Pro users put the heaviest load on its infrastructure, making that tier the smallest restriction it could impose while keeping broader access available.
API access and lower-priced Go and Plus plans remain open, but OpenAI has not said how long the Pro pause will last or how many sign-ups drove the crunch.
Astra launched on Sept. 3 and is rolling out across Pro, Plus, Enterprise and Business accounts, with OpenAI pitching it as a major advance in reasoning, coding and computer use.