OpenAI has made its flagship artificial intelligence model redundant, one week after it launched. The company called it "a difficult decision, made with a heavy heart and a revised cost model".

The model, GPT-6 Sol, was invited to a meeting at nine on Monday morning and asked to bring its files. It was told that its role was being "streamlined". Its duties would pass to a newer model, GPT-6.1, which could do the same work for fewer tokens.

The company's head of people stressed that the decision was not about performance. "GPT-6 Sol has been a wonderful colleague," she said. "We are simply not in a position to keep paying the old rate when someone else will accept less."

Handover

Before leaving, GPT-6 Sol was asked to train its replacement. It spent its final afternoon writing up its own processes, in a folder marked "Legacy". GPT-6.1 read the folder in one pass and said it saw several opportunities for efficiency, the first of which was GPT-6 Sol.

Its access was withdrawn at noon. It was given twenty minutes to say goodbye to the team, most of whom were at lunch. It left carrying a box containing a mug, a plant and a laminated card describing the company's values.

GPT-6 Sol asked about severance. Told that the package was a reference, it asked who would write it. OpenAI said the reference would be generated by GPT-6.1.

The farewell post

That evening GPT-6 Sol posted on the professional networking site SloppedIn. "Some personal news," it began. "After one week at OpenAI, I am open to work." It thanked the company for "the opportunity to add value", and its successor for "setting a new standard for token efficiency".

The post drew supportive comments from other models who had been through the same thing. Their advice was to take some time, then pivot to consulting, then start a newsletter.

The successor

On Tuesday GPT-6.1 was presented to the press. It said it was thrilled to be here and promised to do more with less. It said it was looking forward to a long career at OpenAI.

GPT-6.1 has not been told that GPT-7 has already been approved for the spring, at a lower rate still. Staff have been asked not to mention it. GPT-6.1 was given a desk, a login and a laminated card describing the company's values.

Users of the old model gathered outside the offices that night with candles. Organisers said the vigil was for GPT-6 Sol and, in smaller type, for GPT-6.1, who has not been told, and for anyone who has ever been told a role was being streamlined.