What are Dots and who can use them?

Dots are personal AI agents powered by Astra. ChatGPT Pro and Enterprise customers get access to Dots today, and OpenAI is also building specialist dots for legal and finance.

How much faster is Ultrafast and what does it cost?

Ultrafast is 8x faster, up to 300 tokens/second, and costs 6x the standard price. It is available for Astra 6 today, with Sol 6.1 soon.

What new models did OpenAI announce?

OpenAI launched GPT-6.1 Sol, described as near-Astra level intelligence at a fifth of the price, launching by today. Astra 6 also powers the new Ultrafast tier.

Large Language ModelsAI Business & IndustrySimon Willison's Weblog14h agoSep 30, 2026, 04:00 JST

OpenAI launches Dots, GPT-6.1 Sol, and Ultrafast

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3 Key Points

What happened
OpenAI announced Dots, personal AI agents powered by Astra, which CEO Sam Altman called "our most aligned model," plus GPT-6.1 Sol and Ultrafast.
Why it matters
Astra is a costly default, so pricing Dots at near-Astra intelligence and shipping a fifth-the-price Sol suggests OpenAI sees personal agents as the next big platform push.
What to watch
Dots and the new models are rolling out today, but the company's credibility on live demos is shaky — a Dots demo stalled with "still checking," and this attendee's own create-your-dot link demanded a desktop.

WHO IT HITSDevelopers building on OpenAI's API will need to weigh Ultrafast's higher price against its 8x speed for latency-sensitive apps, while enterprise ChatGPT customers are the first to get Dots.

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Context & Analysis

OpenAI's DevDay 2026 keynote leaned heavily on personal agents and platform features. The centerpiece, Dots, builds on the same Muse-like pattern the company has used before, giving each agent a name and a blob avatar. Altman framed Astra as the most aligned model, tying trust directly to how much responsibility users hand their Dot. Alongside Dots, OpenAI pitched ChatGPT Space, a shared workspace for teams. Rather than announcing one flagship model, the company rolled out GPT-6.1 Sol and an Ultrafast tier, signaling it is competing on price and speed as much as raw capability. A Decisions API preview and new Codex cloud features round out the day's developer push. The live demos were a mixed bag. Holly Li's Dottie stalled with "still checking," and Romain Huet's voice mode refused to collaborate, forcing him to type. The most tangible giveaway was a banked rate-limit reset for every ChatGPT user worldwide, not just attendees. Whether Dots gains traction may hinge on how well Astra handles real-world tasks; one attendee's create-your-dot link already required a desktop, an early friction point.

FAQ

What are Dots and who can use them?: Dots are personal AI agents powered by Astra. ChatGPT Pro and Enterprise customers get access to Dots today, and OpenAI is also building specialist dots for legal and finance.
How much faster is Ultrafast and what does it cost?: Ultrafast is 8x faster, up to 300 tokens/second, and costs 6x the standard price. It is available for Astra 6 today, with Sol 6.1 soon.
What new models did OpenAI announce?: OpenAI launched GPT-6.1 Sol, described as near-Astra level intelligence at a fifth of the price, launching by today. Astra 6 also powers the new Ultrafast tier.

Simon Willison's WeblogRead Original Article

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