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OpenAI launches Flex to target developers seeking lower costs for non-urgent AI tasks.
This new API option cuts prices significantly in exchange for slower model responses and possible resource delays. Flex is currently in beta and available for OpenAI’s o3 and o4-mini reasoning models.
Flex is specifically designed for low-priority workloads. These include background tasks like model testing, data labeling, and asynchronous processing. For teams not needing real-time results, Flex offers a way to slash expenses while still leveraging OpenAI’s powerful models.
The cost savings are substantial. With Flex, the o3 model drops from $10 to $5 per million input tokens. Output token costs also fall from $40 to $20. Similarly, o4-mini pricing is cut in half — from $1.10 to $0.55 for input and from $4.40 to $2.20 for output tokens.
Massive savings for batch tasks and experimentation
OpenAIClick here for more Details is pushing Flex as a budget-friendly tool. It’s ideal for tasks that can tolerate slower completion speeds and potential wait times. As the cost of running frontier AI continues to grow, such pricing models could be key to wider adoption.
The launch of Flex also arrives just as Google dropped its Gemini 2.5 Flash model. Gemini Flash offers top-tier performance at a lower price point, setting up a direct comparison to Flex’s cost-saving strategy. The AI pricing wars are clearly heating up, with Flex representing OpenAI’s answer to budget-friendly alternatives.
To access o3 and Flex pricing, OpenAI now requires ID verification for users in tiers 1 through 3. These tiers are based on spend levels. Verified developers also gain access to reasoning summaries and streaming API features. OpenAIClick here for more Details says this is part of its effort to prevent misuse and maintain responsible use of its technologies.
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OpenAI launches Flex to tackle market pressure
As more companies release cheaper and faster AI tools, OpenAI is signaling it won’t be left behind. Flex enables developers to test and scale their projects without burning through budget. It’s especially useful for startups or labs running model comparisons or enriching datasets without requiring live responses.
By giving teams pricing flexibility and performance trade-offs, OpenAI aims to broaden its appeal in the developer ecosystem. While Flex may not suit real-time apps or mission-critical software, it unlocks major cost advantages for specific use cases.
Whether this strategy wins over more developers or merely counters Google’s push remains to be seen. But one thing is clear: when OpenAI launches Flex, it’s not just a technical release — it’s a move in the broader AI pricing chess game.
