OpenAI and Anthropic Cut AI Model Prices in New Competition

In September 2026, OpenAI and Anthropic both released cheaper versions of their AI models. OpenAI announced a lower-cost GPT-6 family and said it would let outside groups evaluate its models at an earlier stage. Anthropic also launched new models, and the two companies are now competing on price.

The lower prices come as software companies are offering discounts to keep customers from switching to Anthropic or OpenAI. New data also shows these companies are taking up a growing share of software budgets. At the same time, OpenAI's planned IPO has been derailed, which has unsettled the US market ahead of Anthropic's debut.