Welcome to the forefront of conversational AI as we explore the fascinating world of AI chatbots in our dedicated blog series. Discover the latest advancements, applications, and strategies that propel the evolution of chatbot technology. From enhancing customer interactions to streamlining business processes, these articles delve into the innovative ways artificial intelligence is shaping the landscape of automated conversational agents. Whether you’re a business owner, developer, or simply intrigued by the future of interactive technology, join us on this journey to unravel the transformative power and endless possibilities of AI chatbots.
Buy One Founder Summit Ticket, Get a Second for Free. Register now.
Disrupt doors open Oct. 13. Get your pass and bring someone with you at 50% off. REGISTER NOW.
Latest
AI
Amazon
Apps
Biotech & Health
Climate
Cloud Computing
Commerce
Crypto
Enterprise
EVs
Fintech
Fundraising
Gadgets
Gaming
Google
Government & Policy
Hardware
Instagram
Layoffs
Media & Entertainment
Meta
Microsoft
Privacy
Robotics
Security
Social
Space
Startups
TikTok
Transportation
Venture
Staff
Events
Startup Battlefield
StrictlyVC
Newsletters
Podcasts
Videos
Partner Content
TechCrunch Brand Studio
Contact Us
Demand for OpenAI’s newest and most powerful model, Astra, has led the company to temporarily pause subscriptions for its $200-per-month Pro plan, citing strain on its infrastructure.
The move was announced on X by OpenAI’s product leader, Thibault (Tibo) Sottiaux, who leads core products like Codex and ChatGPT at the AI lab. He said that the Pro plan puts the most strain on its systems, which is why sign-ups for this service tier are now being disabled.
“We wanted to take the smallest step that allows us to continue giving the broadest access possible,” Sottiaux wrote. He added that the company’s other plans, including the API and lower-cost Go and Plus plans, remain available.
The company warned on Wednesday that such a change might come. At the time, Sottiaux wrote, “Demand for Astra is really unprecedented. We’re pulling all the levers possible to sustain the demand, but I’ve not seen anything like it until now and we went through very steep growth before. Priority will always be to keep excellent service for existing users, but we might have to pause new Pro subscriptions for a bit if this continues.”
OpenAI hasn’t said how long sign-ups to the Pro tier may be disabled, or how many people are signing up daily, to give an idea of the scale of the demand.
The company raised usage limits for Codex users as recently as last month, suggesting the strain is a recent phenomenon.
Launched on September 3, Astra has been rolling out across OpenAI’s plans, including Pro, Plus, Enterprise, and Business accounts, in addition to its AI. The model promises a major leap forward in areas like AI reasoning, coding, and computer use — all areas of steep competition. OpenAI even heralded Astra as the beginning of the “AGI era,” and a generational leap, stoking demand even more.
Topics
When you purchase through links in our articles, we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.
Buy One Pass, Get a Second Free
Cover more ground at TechCrunch’s ultimate founder bootcamp of the year by bringing your co-founder or partner for free
Book before the BOGO deal expires
Warhound raises $200M to engineer war dogs and arm them with Anduril gear
Uber puts all 30,000 employees on ChatGPT Work
Airbnb limits chores for guests, sparking backlash from hosts
Year-old AI lab Flapping Airplanes raises $1B at a $6B valuation
Tesla starts Optimus robot production in California as profit falls 43%
The internet is having a very bad cybersecurity day
People are using AI to make their smart TVs dumb again
© 2026 TechCrunch Media LLC.