OpenAI Adds $500 Pro 500 Plan as GPT-6 Astra Demand Pushes Compute Into Paid Speed Tiers

OpenAI is turning compute pressure around GPT-6 Astra into a new pricing and speed structure, adding a $500-per-month Pro 500 plan with Astra Ultrafast while reopening Pro 200 with a lower allowance for many new buyers. The move follows a September pause in $200 Pro sign-ups after Astra demand strained capacity and makes faster inference a paid tier rather than an incidental feature.