OpenAI pauses new Pro subscriptions due to demand for Astra — TechCrunch
OpenAI has temporarily suspended new subscriptions to its $200-per-month Pro plan due to infrastructure strain caused by high demand for its new Astra model. TechCrunch reports.
Strain on systems
OpenAI product chief Thibaut Sottiaux, who is responsible for the company’s key products, including Codex and ChatGPT, said that the Pro plan places the greatest strain on the systems. According to him, pausing registrations for new users at this tier is the smallest step that makes it possible to preserve broad access to the services.
Other OpenAI offerings, including access through the API as well as the cheaper Go and Plus plans, remain available. Astra is being rolled out to users of Pro, Plus, Enterprise, and Business plans.
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Demand for Astra
As recently as Wednesday, Sottiaux warned that demand for Astra was unprecedented and that OpenAI was using every available capability to support it. He noted that the company’s priority was to maintain high-quality service for existing users.
OpenAI did not specify how long the restriction on new Pro registrations would last or how many people subscribe to this plan each day. Astra, launched on September 3, is described by OpenAI as its newest and most powerful model. The company positions it as a significant step forward in AI reasoning, programming, and computer use.
