Trend · AI agents

GPT-6.1 Terra: the lower-cost OpenAI model built for computer use

Updated Oct 27, 2026 · By Mishal Brands Editorial

Checked Oct 27, 2026. Every claim below was checked against the sources listed at the bottom on that date. Performance, speed and cost figures are OpenAI's own results, not our tests.

The short answer

GPT-6.1 Terra is OpenAI's new fast, lower-priced model for computer use. OpenAI launched it on Oct 26, 2026 and describes it as "a fast, efficient model that combines detailed visual reasoning and precise computer use alongside clearer, more natural writing." It is built for the screen-based work that fills a day, such as drafting proposals, interpreting technical drawings, filling out forms and editing videos. It is in ChatGPT Work and Codex for Plus, Pro, Enterprise and Edu users, in the API as gpt-6.1-terra at $1 per million input tokens and $5 per million output tokens, and on Amazon Bedrock and Microsoft Foundry.

What it can do, according to OpenAI

Use a computer. OpenAI says Terra combines visual reasoning with precise computer use. The API docs list a computer use tool among its supported tools in the Responses API.
Fill out forms and enter data. OpenAI gives the example of reading incoming invoices and entering their details into accounting software, and says its API prices are 50% lower than those of GPT-5.6 Terra and GPT-6.1 Sol, which makes high-volume work like that practical.
Read images. It accepts text and image input and returns text. The docs mention matching product photos to catalog entries and interpreting technical drawings.
Write more clearly. OpenAI says it improves on GPT-5.6 Terra for clearer, more natural writing.

The numbers OpenAI published

All of these are OpenAI-reported. We did not test them.

Claim	What OpenAI says
Agents' Last Exam (professional computer tasks), medium effort	15 percentage points higher than GPT-5.6 Terra at about one-third the cost; on par with GPT-6 Astra at one-tenth its price per token
Speed	Completes tasks over three times faster than both GPT-6 Astra and GPT-6.1 Sol
Cost vs Claude Opus 5.5, max effort	Over three times as token efficient at one-fourth the price per token, for a roughly 9x lower cost per task
Error rate on OpenAI's internal error-inducing prompts	At low effort, 53.6% with GPT-5.6 Terra fell to 16.7% with GPT-6.1 Terra; at maximum effort it fell 18 points to 4.3%
Terminal-Bench 4.0 (coding agents), max effort	Solves 50.3% of tasks, versus GPT-5.6 Terra's published 21.5%

A limit OpenAI states itself: for the most complex coding tasks, "GPT-6.1 Sol and GPT-6 Astra remain the better choice." OpenAI also says Terra meets the Critical threshold in cybersecurity under its Preparedness Framework and keeps the protections built for GPT-6 Astra, and that in its prompt-injection tests Terra showed strong resistance to malicious instructions. Both are OpenAI's own evaluations; see its system card for detail.

Where you can try it today

Where	Who gets it	Source
ChatGPT Work and Codex	Plus, Pro, Enterprise and Edu users. OpenAI says the same usage allowance covers more tasks than with GPT-5.6 Terra.	OpenAI, The Verge
OpenAI API	Model ID `gpt-6.1-terra`. Chat Completions, Responses and Batch are supported; tool calling requires the Responses API.	OpenAI developer docs
Amazon Bedrock	Generally available Oct 26, 2026, through Bedrock APIs. AWS says you can also configure ChatGPT Work and Codex to use the model on Bedrock.	AWS
Microsoft Foundry	Generally available Oct 26, 2026, through the Responses API, in Global Standard and Data Zone Standard deployments.	Microsoft

Pricing (API, standard)

Item	Price
Input	$1 per 1M tokens
Cached input	$0.05 per 1M tokens
Output	$5 per 1M tokens

Per the developer docs: prompts over 272K input tokens are priced at 2x input and 1.5x output for the full request, Batch and Flex are 50% lower than Standard, and fast mode is 2x Standard. The context window is 1,050,000 tokens with up to 128,000 output tokens, and the knowledge cutoff is Jun 1, 2026. Prices on Bedrock and Foundry are set by those platforms; check them before you plan a budget.

How to start (a safe first test)

Pick one repeat task you do on screen every week, such as copying invoice details into a spreadsheet.
Run it once in ChatGPT Work or Codex with Terra, and watch each step.
Keep a human check on anything that sends, pays or deletes.

FAQ

What is GPT-6.1 Terra?
A model OpenAI launched on Oct 26, 2026 for visual reasoning, computer use and writing. It is positioned as a fast, lower-cost option in the GPT-6 family.

How much does GPT-6.1 Terra cost?
In the OpenAI API, $1 per million input tokens and $5 per million output tokens at standard rates. In ChatGPT Work and Codex it is included for Plus, Pro, Enterprise and Edu users under their plan allowances.

Is it better than Claude Opus 5.5?
We can't say. OpenAI reports a roughly 9x lower cost per task than Claude Opus 5.5 at max effort on its own benchmark. That is a vendor comparison we did not test, and it is about cost, not overall quality.

Can it fill out forms for me?
OpenAI says it handles computer-based tasks including filling out forms, and the API supports a computer use tool. Keep a human check on anything that sends or pays.

Is it the best OpenAI model for hard coding?
No, per OpenAI: GPT-6.1 Sol and GPT-6 Astra remain the better choice for the most complex coding tasks.

Related on Mishal Brands

Sources (checked Oct 27, 2026)

OpenAI, "Introducing GPT-6.1 Terra" (Oct 26, 2026): https://openai.com/index/introducing-gpt-6-1-terra
OpenAI developer docs, GPT-6.1 Terra: https://developers.openai.com/api/docs/models/gpt-6.1-terra
The Verge, Oct 26, 2026: https://www.theverge.com/ai-artificial-intelligence/1018854/gpt-6-1-terra-is-very-good-at-computer-use-openai-says
AWS, "OpenAI GPT-6.1 Terra is now generally available on Amazon Bedrock" (Oct 26, 2026): https://aws.amazon.com/about-aws/whats-new/2026/10/openai-gpt-6-1-terra-on-amazon-bedrock/
Microsoft Community Hub, "GPT-6.1 Terra now generally available in Microsoft Foundry" (Oct 26, 2026): https://techcommunity.microsoft.com/blog/azure-ai-foundry-blog/gpt-6-1-terra-now-generally-available-in-microsoft-foundry-build-agents-that-see/4567769

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