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OpenAI is rethinking how it prices ChatGPT, with signs that unlimited subscription plans may not last much longer. ChatGPT head Nick Turley suggested the company could phase out unlimited usage models as AI technology evolves.
Speaking on the Bg2 Pod podcast, Turley compared unlimited AI access to unlimited electricity, arguing that such a model may not be practical. “It’s possible that in the current era, having an unlimited plan is like having an unlimited electricity plan. It just doesn’t make sense,” he said.
The idea aligns with Sam Altman’s broader vision of treating AI as a utility . Altman has indicated that, in the future, users may pay for AI the way they pay for water or electricity, based on usage rather than fixed subscriptions.
“We see a future where intelligence is a utility like electricity or water and people buy it from us on a meter and use it for whatever they want to use it for,” Altman said.
At present, ChatGPT offers multiple pricing tiers. These include a free version with limits, a Plus plan priced at Rs 1,999 per month, and a Pro plan costing Rs 19,900 per month, which provides unlimited prompts and faster performance. In India, a more affordable ChatGPT Go plan is available at Rs 399 per month.
However, the pricing structure for top-tier plans has remained largely unchanged since late 2024.
Turley noted that pricing models tend to evolve alongside rapid technological progress, suggesting that AI services will follow the same path. “There’s no world in which pricing doesn’t significantly evolve when the technology is changing this quickly,” he said.
OpenAI has expanded the capabilities of its free ChatGPT tier with the rollout of its new GPT-5.4 Mini model, alongside the smaller GPT-5.4 Nano, just weeks after introducing its flagship GPT-5.4 system.
The GPT-5.4 Mini model is now available to free and Go users, marking a notable upgrade to the everyday ChatGPT experience.
Turley made it clear that broader changes are expected. He said he would be “incredibly surprised” if pricing did not shift, given the pace of innovation in AI.
OpenAI is not alone in exploring new pricing strategies. CEO of Microsoft Satya Nadella has previously indicated that Microsoft could move toward charging businesses on a per-agent basis, rather than per user, as AI tools become more embedded in workflows. Meanwhile, companies like Anthropic already use pay-as-you-go models, charging users based on token usage for services such as Claude Code.
Speaking on the Bg2 Pod podcast, Turley compared unlimited AI access to unlimited electricity, arguing that such a model may not be practical. “It’s possible that in the current era, having an unlimited plan is like having an unlimited electricity plan. It just doesn’t make sense,” he said.
AI as a utility
The idea aligns with Sam Altman’s broader vision of treating AI as a utility . Altman has indicated that, in the future, users may pay for AI the way they pay for water or electricity, based on usage rather than fixed subscriptions.
“We see a future where intelligence is a utility like electricity or water and people buy it from us on a meter and use it for whatever they want to use it for,” Altman said.
At present, ChatGPT offers multiple pricing tiers. These include a free version with limits, a Plus plan priced at Rs 1,999 per month, and a Pro plan costing Rs 19,900 per month, which provides unlimited prompts and faster performance. In India, a more affordable ChatGPT Go plan is available at Rs 399 per month.
However, the pricing structure for top-tier plans has remained largely unchanged since late 2024.
Turley noted that pricing models tend to evolve alongside rapid technological progress, suggesting that AI services will follow the same path. “There’s no world in which pricing doesn’t significantly evolve when the technology is changing this quickly,” he said.
New GPT-5.4 Mini model
OpenAI has expanded the capabilities of its free ChatGPT tier with the rollout of its new GPT-5.4 Mini model, alongside the smaller GPT-5.4 Nano, just weeks after introducing its flagship GPT-5.4 system.
The GPT-5.4 Mini model is now available to free and Go users, marking a notable upgrade to the everyday ChatGPT experience.
Broader changes expected
Turley made it clear that broader changes are expected. He said he would be “incredibly surprised” if pricing did not shift, given the pace of innovation in AI.
OpenAI is not alone in exploring new pricing strategies. CEO of Microsoft Satya Nadella has previously indicated that Microsoft could move toward charging businesses on a per-agent basis, rather than per user, as AI tools become more embedded in workflows. Meanwhile, companies like Anthropic already use pay-as-you-go models, charging users based on token usage for services such as Claude Code.
