OpenAI Halves GPT-6 Token Prices, but Caching May Matter More
TL;DR: OpenAI reportedly halved GPT-6 token prices, but an analysis argues prompt caching is the bigger lever on actual API spend.
Key points
- OpenAI is reported to have cut GPT-6 token pricing to roughly half of its prior rate.
- The New Stack argues that prompt caching shapes real bills more than the headline per-token cut.
- Reusing repeated system prompts and long context via the cache bills those cached input tokens at a much lower rate.
Why it matters
A 50% list-price cut is eye-catching, but for workloads that re-send the same context — agents, RAG — cache hit rate is what drives the monthly bill. The takeaway: audit your caching design before comparing sticker prices.