TL;DR OpenAI launched GPT-6.1 Terra on October 26, 2026, a fast, efficient model focused on visual reasoning, computer use, coding, and everyday work[1]. It's 3x faster than GPT-6 Astra and GPT-6.1 Sol, and its API pricing is 50% lower than GPT-6.1 Sol at $1/M input and $5/M output tokens[2][3]. It's available now in ChatGPT Work and Codex — not in the main Chat tab[2].
Close-up of a circuit board and microchip, representing GPT-6.1 Terra's fast, efficient computer-use design

The short answer

GPT-6.1 Terra is OpenAI's mid-tier, speed-first model for the kind of screen-and-document work that fills a workday: filling out forms, editing videos, interpreting technical drawings, and automating repetitive desktop tasks[1]. OpenAI describes it as "a fast, efficient model that combines detailed visual reasoning and precise computer use alongside clearer, more natural writing"[1].

It's not a flagship replacement — OpenAI still points to GPT-6.1 Sol or GPT-6 Astra for the most complex coding — but it's a meaningfully cheaper and faster option for everyday agentic work[3].

Pricing

Standard API pricing for GPT-6.1 Terra is $1 per million input tokens, $0.05 per million cached input tokens, and $5 per million output tokens[2]. That's 50% lower than GPT-5.6 Terra and GPT-6.1 Sol[3]. API usage is billed separately from ChatGPT subscriptions[2].

Speed and benchmarks

  • 3x faster than both GPT-6 Astra and GPT-6.1 Sol at completing tasks[3].
  • Agents' Last Exam: scored 15 points higher than GPT-5.6 Terra at medium reasoning effort, while costing roughly one-third as much[3].
  • On par with GPT-6 Astra on some tasks at only one-tenth the price per token[3].
  • Terminal-Bench 4.0: 50.3% at maximum reasoning effort — more than double GPT-5.6 Terra's 21.5%[3].

Fewer errors

OpenAI reports a big drop in hallucination on its internal benchmark. At low reasoning effort, the error rate fell from 53.6% with GPT-5.6 Terra to 16.7% with GPT-6.1 Terra; at maximum effort it dropped 18 points to 4.3%, nearly matching GPT-6 Astra and GPT-6.1 Sol[3].

Availability

GPT-6.1 Terra is rolling out in the OpenAI API as gpt-6.1-terra and in ChatGPT Work and Codex for Plus, Pro, Enterprise, and Edu users[2][3]. It's not available in the main Chat tab, and it does not support UAE inference residency[2].

What it means for you

  • For automation and screen work, this is the new default. If your workload is forms, documents, and repetitive desktop tasks, Terra is dramatically cheaper than Sol while staying fast[3].
  • For hard coding, keep using the flagships. OpenAI explicitly recommends GPT-6.1 Sol or GPT-6 Astra for the most complex coding tasks[3].
  • You'll find it in Work and Codex, not Chat. Don't look for Terra in the regular ChatGPT conversation picker[2].

Bottom line

Verdict: GPT-6.1 Terra is a speed-and-price play aimed squarely at computer-use and visual-reasoning tasks. It's not the most capable model, but at 3x speed and half the price of Sol, it's the sensible default for a large chunk of everyday agentic work.

Frequently asked questions

Is GPT-6.1 Terra in ChatGPT Chat?

No — Terra is available in ChatGPT Work and Codex, and through the API as gpt-6.1-terra, not in the main Chat tab[2].

How much does GPT-6.1 Terra cost?

$1 per million input tokens, $0.05 per million cached input tokens, and $5 per million output tokens in the API[2].

Should I switch from GPT-6.1 Sol to Terra?

For computer use, visual reasoning, and everyday work, Terra is faster and half the price. For the hardest coding, OpenAI still recommends Sol or Astra[3].

Sources

  1. OpenAI — "Introducing GPT-6.1 Terra" — openai.com
  2. OpenAI Help Center — "Model Release Notes" (GPT-6.1 Terra, Oct 26, 2026) — help.openai.com
  3. BleepingComputer — "OpenAI launches GPT-6.1 Terra with 3x faster AI agents, 50% lower pricing" — bleepingcomputer.com