OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has announced higher usage limits for ChatGPT Plus subscribers after backlash over restrictions on the new GPT-5 “Thinking” model. The change follows widespread criticism from paid users frustrated by a cap of 200 messages per week.
In a post on X, Altman said, “We are significantly increasing rate limits for reasoning for ChatGPT Plus users, and all model-class limits will shortly be higher than they were before GPT-5.” He did not specify the new exact limits but confirmed that a new interface update will also show which AI model is responding to a prompt.
The move comes a week after GPT-5’s launch, which saw the removal of the popular GPT-4o model and sparked heavy criticism. OpenAI has since restored GPT-4o access.
Plus subscribers, who pay $20/£20 a month for more powerful AI models and early access to new features, argued the reduced limits undermined the value of their subscription.
While the rate increase may address one of the biggest complaints, some users remain concerned that GPT-5 represents only an incremental improvement rather than a major leap forward. Critics say recent updates risk changing the chatbot’s behaviour in ways that alienate loyal users.
For now, OpenAI has reversed one unpopular downgrade, but frequent adjustments to balance innovation and user expectations may become a regular part of future ChatGPT updates.
