Are leading US AI labs cutting model prices as Chinese rivals compete?
Core argument: Anthropic’s Claude Opus 5.5 is roughly 40% cheaper to use than its predecessor and is the first of a new family of models the company says will be more cost-efficient than previous generations.
Anthropic and OpenAI both released cheaper versions of their leading models, as the price war between the two leading US labs and their low-cost Chinese rivals intensifies. The latest Claude model from Anthropic, Opus 5.5, is roughly 40% cheaper to use than its precursor and was the first of a new “family” of models that will be more cost-efficient than previous generations, the company said. OpenAI, meanwhile, released lower-cost versions of ChatGPT-6, known as Sol and Luna, following the release of its most advanced ChatGPT-6 Astra model at the start of the month. It said the models will be 50% cheaper than their predecessors in the ChatGPT-5.6 slate.


