OpenAI has expanded GPT-6 Astra access to ChatGPT Plus and Business subscribers. “Now out to all Plus and Business users,” Sam Altman wrote in a follow-up to his earlier announcement covering Pro, Enterprise and Business Premium accounts.
But there is a detail worth knowing before you start wondering whether your subscription has been overlooked: Plus users get Astra through ChatGPT Work and Codex, not through the ordinary Chat mode. OpenAI’s documentation makes that distinction, even if the rollout announcements make it easy to miss.
Where to find GPT-6 Astra
In the ChatGPT desktop app, select ChatGPT from the top-left menu, then switch from Chat to Work using the toggle at the top. Codex is a separate option in that same top-left menu. On mobile, eligible users can select Work from the dropdown at the top of the screen.
Work is not just for developers. OpenAI positions it for research, analysis and tasks such as creating documents, spreadsheets and presentations. Codex is the software-development side. Both use model controls separate from those in an ordinary ChatGPT conversation.
Regular ChatGPT conversations get Astra through GPT-6 Pro, which OpenAI lists for Pro, Business and Enterprise plans. Plus is not included in that list. In other words, having Astra access through your Plus subscription does not mean a GPT-6 Pro option should appear in your usual chat menu.
What to check if Astra is still missing
OpenAI advises installing the latest available ChatGPT desktop app. Developers using the Codex command-line tool need version 0.153.0 or newer for Astra.
Enterprise users have another possible obstacle: workspace permissions. OpenAI said Astra was off by default for Enterprise workspaces at launch, with administrators able to enable it. A company having an eligible subscription does not automatically establish that every employee has access.
Although Altman says the rollout has reached all Plus and Business users, OpenAI’s help pages still describe availability as gradual and warn that access can differ between Chat, Work and Codex.
Access also does not mean unlimited usage. Plus includes a limited amount of Astra usage within its Work and Codex allowance. Additional credits can cover more usage, but OpenAI explicitly says buying them does not provide early access during a rollout.
You should not need to read several help pages to find a model your subscription includes. For now, though, checking which part of ChatGPT you are using is more useful than assuming you need a more expensive plan.
Photo credit: Gran Telescopio Canarias beneath the Milky Way. Photo: David Monje/Unsplash.
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