OpenAI cut prices on two of its GPT-5.6 API models on July 30, 2026, just three weeks after the family launched on July 9. The budget-tier Luna model dropped 80%, from $1 to $0.20 per million input tokens and from $6 to $1.20 per million output tokens. The mid-tier Terra model fell 20%, to $2 per million input tokens and $12 per million output tokens.
The flagship Sol model kept its $5/$30 per-million-token pricing but gained a new "Fast mode" that runs up to 2.5 times faster at double the price. OpenAI said the changes aim to improve "performance per dollar across enterprise workloads," while CEO Sam Altman pointed to a 54% gain in token efficiency on agentic coding jobs.
The cuts land as AI providers compete increasingly on cost: PYMNTS Intelligence research found 60-65% of firms in cybersecurity, SaaS and payments prioritize near-term financial returns when funding AI projects, pressuring vendors to make high-volume API use cheaper.