OpenAI Pauses Pro Signups Amid Astra Frenzy

OpenAI has temporarily halted new subscriptions to its $200-per-month Pro plan due to unprecedented demand for its latest model, Astra. The company's product leader announced the pause on X, citing severe infrastructure strain unique to the Pro tier. Other plans, including API, Go, and Plus, remain available. OpenAI has not disclosed how long the pause will last or daily signup figures. Launched September 3, Astra has been praised for advances in reasoning, coding, and computer use, with OpenAI calling it the dawn of the AGI era.