Skip to main content
Original: Simon Willison · 26/10/2026

​
Summary

OpenAI introduces GPT-6.1 Terra, a model emphasizing visual reasoning and computer use, offering a balance between performance and cost for various tasks.

​
Key Insights

“It’s always interesting to note which aspects of a new model are emphasized in the release announcement.” — Introduction to the article discussing the release of GPT-6.1 Terra.
“Terra is probably better than Astra and Sol at technical communication, similar on vision and computer use (but much faster!).” — Comment from OpenAI’s Ted Sanders on the comparative performance of GPT-6.1 Terra.
“GPT-6.1 Terra is priced at $1/million input tokens and $5/million output - almost half the price of GPT-5.6 Terra.” — Discussion on the pricing structure of GPT-6.1 Terra compared to other models.

​
Topics

​
Full Article

26th October 2026 - Link Blog GPT-6.1 Terra (via) It’s always interesting to note which aspects of a new model are emphasized in the release announcement. In the case of GPT-6.1 Terra, OpenAI went with visual reasoning and computer use: We’re introducing GPT-6.1 Terra, a fast, efficient model that combines detailed visual reasoning and precise computer use alongside clearer, more natural writing. A significant step up from GPT‑5.6 Terra, it excels at the communication and computer-based tasks that fill the workday, from drafting proposals and interpreting technical drawings to filling out forms and editing videos. Terra sits in the same position as Sonnet in the Anthropic model collection - not the cheapest or the most expensive, making it harder to decide when to use it. Computer use is a good example of a task that benefits from a less expensive model, since you might put it to work on automated, repetitive tasks. OpenAI’s Ted Sanders provided some useful advice in a comment on Hacker News: In the case of GPT-6.1 Terra, I’d say Terra is probably better than Astra and Sol at technical communication, similar on vision and computer use (but much faster!), and a bit worse on most other things. For API developers, it’s a nice midrange option if you want something cheaper than Sol but a lot smarter than Luna (especially for vision / computer use / communication). For subscribers, it’s not a bombshell release - if you’re hitting usage limits, maybe it helps you go a bit further, and if you want clearer communication or faster computer use, it can be a nice option to select. Here are the pelicans for the different reasoning levels. This pelican for “max” cost 11.3161 cents and took 4 minutes and 11 seconds: Here’s a new comparison grid showing pelicans for every reasoning level of OpenAI’s current frontier lineup: GPT-6 Astra, GPT-6.1 Sol, GPT-6.1 Terra, and GPT-6 Luna. GPT-6.1 Terra is priced at $1/million input tokens and $5/million output - almost half the price of GPT-5.6 Terra and GPT-6.1 Sol, and around 10x the price of GPT-6 Luna.

The new GPT-5.6 family: Luna, Terra, Sol

Simon Willison · explanation · 82% similar

A quote from OpenAI

Simon Willison · reference · 80% similar

Advancing the price-performance frontier with GPT‑5.6

Simon Willison · explanation · 80% similar
Originally published at https://simonwillison.net/2026/Oct/26/gpt-61-terra/.