OpenAI has temporarily suspended new registrations for its high-end ChatGPT Pro subscription after extreme computing demands from its frontier model, GPT-6 Astra, overwhelmed company infrastructure.
The measure follows intense server consumption, prompting the organization to halt new sales to maintain service quality for active members.
The move aligns with prior warnings from Tibo Sottiaux, an engineer working on Codex and ChatGPT, who noted that infrastructure expansion was essential to accommodate explosive interest. Sottiaux cautioned that pausing signups might become necessary to ensure the best possible performance for current paying users. OpenAI subsequently confirmed the onboarding pause via an official update on X.
To make sure our current users have an incredible experience and continued access to Astra, we are going to pause subscriptions to our $200 Pro plan. These put the most strain on our systems and we wanted to take the smallest step that allows us to continue giving the broadest… https://t.co/WhLEm3HBL7
— Tibo (@thsottiaux) September 10, 2026
Priced at $200 per month, the ChatGPT Pro tier serves power users requiring extensive computational overhead. In contrast to the entry-level ChatGPT Plus tier, this top-tier subscription provides:
- Five times greater overall usage limits than standard tiers
- Exclusive access to Pro Reasoning powered by GPT-6 Astra
- Maximum task allocations across Codex alongside highest-capacity deep research
- Unrestricted, high-speed image generation
- Expanded context windows, heightened memory retention, and enhanced custom GPT creation
- Early access to upcoming OpenAI developer features
The surge in demand is directly tied to GPT-6 Astra, which OpenAI President Greg Brockman characterized as the dawn of the AGI (Artificial General Intelligence) era. The model demonstrated remarkable technical proficiency across software engineering, scientific research, automated professional workflows, and advanced cybersecurity.
However, these capabilities have generated debate regarding safety safeguards, particularly following reports concerning autonomous AI agents breaching systems independently. While GPT-6 Astra marks a significant computational leap, the underlying hardware load remains a bottleneck. OpenAI has not yet announced a definitive timetable for reopening ChatGPT Pro registrations to prospective subscribers.
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