OpenAI Expands Compute-Heavy Features for ChatGPT, Pro Users to Get Exclusive Access with Extra Fees

OpenAI is gearing up to give ChatGPT a major power boost—but the upgrade will come at a price. CEO Sam Altman has announced that the company will soon roll out heavier compute capabilities for ChatGPT, designed to handle more resource-intensive tasks than ever before. These expanded abilities, however, will be restricted to ChatGPT Pro subscribers, and in some cases, users may need to pay extra.

Sharing the update on X, Altman explained that the high costs of running these compute-heavy systems made it necessary to limit access to Pro subscribers. “Associated costs” of bringing such advanced offerings were cited as the main reason for initially keeping them exclusive. He further revealed that “some new products will have additional fees,” signaling that while more power is coming to ChatGPT, it won’t come free.

Despite the cost, Altman stressed that OpenAI’s long-term vision remains focused on affordability. “The company is committed to driving the cost of intelligence down,” he said. This balance—between experimenting with what large-scale AI can do and keeping services accessible—remains central to OpenAI’s strategy.

Earlier this year, OpenAI launched ChatGPT Go, a budget-friendly India-specific plan priced at Rs 399 per month, targeting users who want the benefits of ChatGPT without premium costs. The Pro subscription, on the other hand, is a high-end tier priced at Rs 19,900 per month, offering unlimited messaging, image creation, and even access to Sora video generation. The new compute-heavy features will be added on top of this package, further enhancing the toolset for users willing to invest in advanced capabilities.

Altman emphasized that the move isn’t just about offering premium services but also about testing the boundaries of what large language models (LLMs) can achieve when given significant computing power. “We also want to learn what's possible when we throw a lot of computers, at today's model costs, at interesting new ideas,” he noted.

The announcement comes at a time when the artificial intelligence industry is under intense scrutiny for its rapid expansion. With billions of dollars being funneled into AI development, questions have been raised about whether the sector is headed toward a bubble similar to the dot-com crash of the late 1990s.

On the Access podcast, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg openly admitted that an AI bubble was “quite possible.” Yet, he clarified that he preferred taking the risk of potential financial losses over falling behind in the competitive AI race.

Sam Altman echoed similar sentiments in a recent interview with The Verge, where he observed that investors seemed “overexcited about AI.” While cautioning that such excitement could result in speculative bubbles, Altman reaffirmed his belief that artificial intelligence represents “the most important thing to happen in a very long time.”

As OpenAI pushes ahead with new compute-heavy features, the company appears determined to both expand the boundaries of AI’s capabilities and address its economic sustainability. For now, Pro subscribers are set to be the first to explore just how far ChatGPT can go when given more power under the hood.