OpenAI's GPT-6.1 Terra Priced Tenfold Lower

OpenAI just unveiled GPT-6.1 Terra, priced at only a tenth of Astra's API rate. The mid-tier model matches the performance of higher-priced rivals on several benchmark tasks. Named Terra after the Latin word for Earth, it is the first GPT-6.1 variant targeting cost-sensitive users. That price drop could open up advanced AI for startups that previously couldn't afford the $800 billion-scale spend. However, OpenAI's new policy bars solo developers, fledgling projects and anyone not speaking English from using the API. The move sparks criticism that AI benefits will stay locked inside the Magnificent Seven tech giants. OpenAI says Terra is meant to democratize access while keeping safety standards high. As CEO Sam Altman put it, "affordability should never be an excuse for exclusion."