OpenAI has unveiled a new option called Flex processing, an API service designed to provide more affordable AI model usage in exchange for slower response times and occasional resource unavailability.
This new feature, available in beta for OpenAI's recently released o3 and o4-mini reasoning models, aims to cater to lower-priority and non-production tasks such as model evaluations, data enrichment, and asynchronous workloads.
Flex processing cuts API costs by half, making it an attractive option for businesses and developers seeking to reduce expenses on non-urgent AI tasks. For instance, the cost of using the o3 model through Flex is $5 per million input tokens (approximately 750,000 words) and $20 per million output tokens, compared to the standard price of $10 and $40, respectively. Meanwhile, for the o4-mini model, Flex pricing drops to $0.55 per million input tokens and $2.20 per million output tokens, down from $1.10 and $4.40.
This move comes as OpenAI faces increased competition from rival AI companies, such as Google, which recently launched its Gemini 2.5 Flash reasoning model. Gemini 2.5 Flash offers similar performance to DeepSeek's R1 at a lower input token cost, underscoring the growing trend of more affordable, budget-friendly AI options.
Additionally, OpenAI announced that developers in usage tiers 1-3 will need to undergo a new ID verification process to access the o3 model. This verification is part of OpenAI's efforts to ensure that its services are not misused by bad actors, as it seeks to protect its usage policies.
With the introduction of Flex processing, OpenAI is positioning itself to remain competitive in the rapidly evolving AI landscape, offering cost-effective solutions for developers working with non-critical tasks while maintaining the integrity of its services.
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Sam Altman has stepped down as chair of nuclear start-up Oklo, citing a potential conflict of interest ahead of talks with OpenAI over a future energy supply deal. The move comes as the pressure mounts to power artificial intelligence with stable, low-carbon energy sources.
A jury trial in the lawsuit filed by billionaire Elon Musk against OpenAI will begin in spring 2026, as determined by U.S. District Judge Yvonne Gonzalez Rogers on Friday.
OpenAI has unveiled significant updates to its Advanced Voice Mode feature for ChatGPT, making its AI voice assistant more personable and responsive to user needs.
The U.S. Supreme Court recently allowed President Donald Trump's administration to move forward with ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for around 350,000 Venezuelans living in the U.S. Trump has also aimed to end TPS protections for Haitians, Afghans, and others.
The U.S. Supreme Court has granted a request from the Trump administration to lift protections under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program for approximately 350,000 Venezuelans, potentially opening the door to future deportations while litigation continues.
Lithuania has taken legal action against Belarus at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Minsk of organizing irregular migrant crossings and violating international obligations.
Indonesia has raised the alert level to the highest for Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki after it erupted eight times over the weekend, the country’s volcanology agency said.
As South Western Railway becomes the latest operator to be renationalised under Great British Railways (GBR), questions remain about whether these changes will lead to better services or lower fares.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelenskyy met Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Ankara on May 15, with discussions reportedly focusing on upcoming peace talks between Ukrainian and Russian delegates in Istanbul.
Israeli Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu said the war in Gaza will not stop until Hamas is destroyed, following the release of US-Israeli soldier Edan Alexander.
Qatar signed a landmark agreement with U.S. aerospace giant Boeing on Wednesday to acquire 160 aircraft for Qatar Airways, a deal valued at $200 billion. The signing took place in Doha during the visit of U.S. President Donald Trump.
Ukrainian and Russian delegations meet behind closed doors at Istanbul’s Dolmabahçe Palace at 10:00 local time today to explore security guarantees, territorial integrity and a possible ceasefire.
EU approves 17th Russia sanctions, blacklisting almost 200 shadow‑fleet ships, 30 evasion firms and 75 defence figures, banning missile chemicals and arming Brussels to strike Kremlin hybrid and operations.
Microsoft announced on Monday that it will begin hosting AI models from Elon Musk's xAI, Meta Platforms, and European startups like Mistral and Black Forest Labs in its own data centers.
Xiaomi CEO Lei Jun announced a $6.9 billion investment plan over the next decade to develop advanced chips, unveiling the new Xring O1 system-on-chip this Thursday, aiming to boost the company’s high-end smartphone strategy and reduce reliance on Qualcomm.
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China and Russia have agreed to build a nuclear-powered lunar base by 2036 at the Moon’s south pole. The International Lunar Research Station will support scientific research and resource exploration, marking a major step in their joint space efforts amid shifting global space priorities.
ChatGPT climbed to fifth place among the world’s most visited websites in April, outpacing rivals in the AI space despite increasing competition, including from China’s DeepSeek.
The U.S. Supreme Court recently allowed President Donald Trump's administration to move forward with ending Temporary Protected Status (TPS) for around 350,000 Venezuelans living in the U.S. Trump has also aimed to end TPS protections for Haitians, Afghans, and others.
The U.S. Supreme Court has granted a request from the Trump administration to lift protections under the Temporary Protected Status (TPS) program for approximately 350,000 Venezuelans, potentially opening the door to future deportations while litigation continues.
Lithuania has taken legal action against Belarus at the International Court of Justice (ICJ), accusing Minsk of organizing irregular migrant crossings and violating international obligations.
Indonesia has raised the alert level to the highest for Mount Lewotobi Laki Laki after it erupted eight times over the weekend, the country’s volcanology agency said.
As South Western Railway becomes the latest operator to be renationalised under Great British Railways (GBR), questions remain about whether these changes will lead to better services or lower fares.
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