OpenAI has upgraded the free tier of ChatGPT to utilize the GPT-5.6 Terra model, offering performance comparable to the previous flagship GPT-5.5. This change, effective July 9, 2026, provides users with enhanced capabilities at no additional cost, though direct access from Russia remains restricted. The GPT-5.6 family includes three tiers: Sol (flagship), Terra (mid-tier), and Luna (entry-level), all supporting a 1.05 million token context window. While exact message limits for the free tier are not officially published, community estimates suggest a range of 10-40 messages per window, with potential downgrades during peak usage. AI
IMPACT This upgrade provides users with advanced AI capabilities at no cost, potentially increasing adoption and usage of sophisticated language models.
RANK_REASON Frontier-lab model release with system card. [lever_c_demoted from frontier_release: ic=1 ai=1.0]
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