OpenAI Launches Flex Processing: Lower API Costs for o3 and o4-mini with Trade-Offs

OpenAI has announced Flex processing, a new beta API option offering reduced costs for its o3 and o4-mini models. Targeted at developers with non-urgent workloads, Flex processing provides budget-friendly access but with slower response times and mandatory ID verification. The move strengthens OpenAI’s competitive position in the evolving AI landscape.