OpenAI announced the general availability of the GPT-5.6 model family following a limited preview. The lineup includes Sol as the new flagship model, Terra as a balanced model for everyday work, and Luna as the most cost-efficient option. According to OpenAI, GPT-5.6 Sol delivers state-of-the-art results across coding, knowledge work, cybersecurity, and science while outperforming previous and competing frontier models using fewer tokens at a lower estimated cost. The release introduces new reasoning settings, including max for extended reasoning and ultra, which coordinates multiple agents in parallel workstreams to complete tasks faster. Developers can also utilize Programmatic Tool Calling in the Responses API to filter intermediate data and adapt workflows. In benchmark evaluations, GPT-5.6 Sol scored 53.6 on Agents' Last Exam and achieved a state of the art score of 80 on the Artificial Analysis Coding Agent Index. Additionally, OpenAI updated pricing ahead of the launch, reducing the price of GPT-5.6 Luna by 80% and GPT-5.6 Terra by 20% on July 30, 2026, and dropping API and credit pricing for GPT-5.6 Sol by over 20% for a three-month period starting August 21, 2026.
GPT-5.6: Frontier intelligence that scales with your ambition
OpenAI has launched the GPT-5.6 model family for general availability, featuring the flagship Sol model alongside balanced Terra and cost-efficient Luna variants. The new models introduce advanced reasoning settings, programmatic tool calling, and multi-agent coordination capabilities.
Why it matters
The release demonstrates a push toward higher agentic efficiency, allowing frontier-level performance in coding, science, and cybersecurity with lower token usage and reduced costs.