OpenAI eases GPT-5.6 usage limits, learning from Gemini's restriction troubles

OpenAI Removes Five-Hour Usage Window for GPT-5.6 Sol

OpenAI is easing restrictions on its newly launched GPT-5.6 models by temporarily removing the five-hour usage window for ChatGPT Plus, Business, and Pro subscribers. The decision comes after the AI models reached 6 million active ChatGPT users, creating unprecedented demand that could have triggered the kind of usage limits that plagued Google's Gemini 1

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. Instead of crippling access as Google did, OpenAI is taking a different approach by allowing subscribers to burn through their entire week's allocation if desired.

Thibault Sottiaux, OpenAI's newly appointed head of core products, announced the temporary change in a post on X, signaling the company's commitment to maintaining user satisfaction during peak demand periods 1

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. The relaxed usage limits are only temporary, though there's no official comment on how long this policy will remain in effect .

Multi-Agent Capabilities and Reasoning Efforts Under Optimization

The company is also addressing concerns about excessive token consumption, particularly in multi-agent scenarios. Sottiaux revealed that the team is experimenting with different reasoning efforts, also known as juice values, to optimize how GPT-5.6 Sol processes complex tasks 1

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. While the reasoning capability was briefly reduced as part of a test, it has since been reverted to its original value, ensuring users continue to experience the full power of the model.

The GPT-5.6 family includes three variants: Sol, Terra, and Luna, each designed for different use cases and compute requirements. GPT-5.6 Sol stands as the most formidable option, intended for demanding tasks such as coding, creative design, and deeper analyses. Luna focuses on cost-efficient operations while reportedly outperforming Anthropic's Claude Opus 4.8 and 5, while Terra offers a balanced middle ground 1

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Competitive Responses from Anthropic Intensify AI Giants Battle

Anthropicis responding to OpenAI's moves by extending the trial period for Fable 5, its top-tier model, giving Claude subscribers another week of in-plan access . The company is also doubling Claude Cowork usage limits until August 5th and boosting weekly Claude Code limits by 50 percent through July 19th, creating a window for users to explore advanced AI reasoning capabilities without typical restrictions .

This back-and-forth suggests OpenAI may be attempting to capture Anthropic subscribers frustrated by previously announced tighter restrictions on Fable 5, with Anthropic responding in kind. An Anthropic executive has promised that "we aim to restore Fable as a standard part of our subscriptions as soon as capacity allows," though the company has warned it will eventually pull Fable 5 from subscription plans .

ChatGPT Work Enters the Productivity Arena

Alongside the GPT-5.6 launch, OpenAI released ChatGPT Work, its answer to Claude Cowork. The new feature gathers context from across apps and services on desktop or in a web browser, coordinating tasks required to achieve professional goals 1

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. With this announcement, OpenAI has also deprecated Codex, essentially merging its functionality with Work. For now, GPT-5.6 Sol will remain available on ChatGPT subscription plans with no indication that subscribers will need to purchase additional usage credits beyond their regular allocations . Watch how these temporary policies evolve as both companies balance user demand against compute capacity constraints.