OpenAI's Ted Sanders shares a rule of thumb for picking the right GPT-model
OpenAI's Ted Sanders shares a rule of thumb for picking the right GPT-model

OpenAI's Ted Sanders points out that GPT-6.1 Terra has better technical communication than larger model Astra, roughly equivalent in image processing and computer usage but lower in price, but insufficient performance in other areas. He emphasizes that model performance is multi-dimensional, size is not the only standard, and suggests choosing different models based on quality or price sensitivity.
Same story1 other outlet also reported this
How the accounts differ:Artificial Analysis Articles states the input/output pricing is $1/5 per million tokens for GPT-6.1 Terra, while The Decoder mentions it is $2/12 for GPT-5.6 Terra.
- Artificial Analysis Articles··First
- The Decoder··+34 h 9 min·Reading now
OpenAI Ted Sanders shares experience rules for choosing GPT models
Adds:Ted Sanders mentions GPT-6.1 Terra performs better in technical communication than larger model Astra.
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OpenAI's Ted Sanders has categorized the new GPT-6.1 Terra and explained how the company names its language models. According to Sanders, model performance is multidimensional. A model that's great at math won't automatically be good at jokes. Still, most performance gaps come down to one variable: model size. Sanders says OpenAI's model names are difficult to simplify because model size, reasoning effort, and multi-agent systems are distinct dimensions. Combining them into a single "IQ score" would obscure details.
And size doesn't explain everything. Newer, smaller models can outperform older, larger ones through better training data or improved architectures. GPT-6.1 Terra is likely better than the larger Astra at technical communication and roughly matches it in image processing and computer use at a much lower price point, but falls short in most other areas, Sanders says. "If you care about quality only, pick Astra. If you're a bit price sensitive, pick Sol. If you're very price sensitive, pick Terra or Luna."
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Source: The Decoder · the-decoder.com