Due to the overwhelming demand for Astra, OpenAI suspends Pro subscriptions.
The subscriptions for OpenAI’s $200-per-month Pro plan have been temporarily suspended. The company cited strain on its infrastructure as the reason. This decision was made in response to rising demand for OpenAI’s most recent and effective model, Astra.
Thibault (Tibo) Sottiaux announced this move on X. He is in charge of OpenAI’s core products, which include Codex and ChatGPT. He explained that the Pro plan puts the most strain on the company’s systems. As a result, registration for this particular tier is no longer possible.
According to Sottiaux’s writing, “We wanted to take the smallest step that allows us to continue giving the broadest access possible.” He went on to say that other OpenAI plans are still fully accessible. That includes the API. Additionally, it includes the cheaper Go and Plus plans. This was something OpenAI had actually warned about earlier in the week. On Wednesday, Sottiaux wrote directly about this concern.
Astra’s demand is truly unprecedented. We are using every lever in our arsenal to maintain demand, but I haven’t seen anything like it before, and we have experienced very rapid growth in the past. Maintaining excellent service for existing customers will always be our top priority, but if this continues, we may have to temporarily halt new Pro subscriptions.
OpenAI hasn’t said how long sign-ups for the Pro tier will be disabled. The company also hasn’t shared daily sign-up numbers. That information would help illustrate the actual scale of current demand.
OpenAI raised usage limits for Codex users just last month. The timing of the current infrastructure strain suggests that it occurred relatively recently. Astra went live on September 3rd. It has been implemented across OpenAI’s various plans ever since. That includes Pro, Plus, Enterprise, and Business accounts. It’s also becoming available through OpenAI’s broader AI offerings.
The model promises significant advancements in a number of key areas. That includes AI reasoning, coding, and computer use. Each of these areas faces intense competition industry-wide. OpenAI even described Astra as the beginning of the “AGI era.” It was called a “generational leap forward” by the company. This framing has only intensified demand for the model further.
