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Frontier models

"Frontier models" are the most capable general-purpose AI models available at a given time, such as the top tiers from Anthropic, OpenAI and Google. The term is used in both industry and regulation, and its meaning moves as the state of the art advances.

73 stories · updated Oct 9

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Key facts

Checked Oct 9

Frontier Model Forum: 501(c)(6) nonprofit, established 2023
FMF definition: General-purpose; outperforms models in wide use ≥12 months on benchmarks or high-risk capability assessments
EU AI Act threshold: > 10^25 FLOPs training compute presumes high-impact capabilities (Art. 51(2))
Example: Anthropic top tier: Claude Fable 5.1 ($10/$50 per MTok), Claude Opus 5.5 ($4/$20)
Example: OpenAI: GPT-6 Astra ($10/$50 per MTok in the API); GPT-6 Sol and Luna in ChatGPT since Oct 7, 2026
Example: Google: Gemini 4 Argon, announced Sep 30, 2026; limited access via the Fairwind Program; not yet on the Gemini API models page as of Oct 8, 2026

Latest on Frontier models

Models · NewsGoogle's Gemini 4 Argon is here, but only cyber defenders can use it so farGoogle announced its new frontier model on September 30 with a $2/$10 introductory API price. A week later, access is still limited to vetted security partners.Oct 9·6 min read

Models · NewsGPT-6 reaches every ChatGPT user: what OpenAI shipped, what it costs, and where each model runsFour GPT-6 models in five weeks, split across ChatGPT's Chat and Work tabs, Codex and the API. Here's the verified map, with prices.Oct 9·6 min read

Research · AnalysisOpenAI's Navier–Stokes claim, explained for builders: the verifier is the storyOpenAI says 10,000 AI agents found a blowup in the Navier–Stokes equations and proved it in Lean. What is checked, what isn't, and what it means for agent builders.Oct 9·6 min read

Models · AnalysisWhat the Claude Opus 5.5 system card actually saysAnthropic's system card for Opus 5.5 runs past 220 pages. What it says on bio and cyber risk, sandbox escapes, prompt injection and alignment, and what it leaves out.Oct 9·7 min read

Industry · AnalysisToken pricing isn't the story: what the official price pages actually tell youAnthropic and OpenAI now charge identical sticker prices at two tiers. Your bill is decided by tokenizers, thinking tokens, caching, long-context surcharges and tool fees.Oct 9·8 min read

Hardware · AnalysisThe gigawatt datacenter race: what's announced, what's running, and what's holding it backAI labs and clouds have announced tens of gigawatts of compute. Primary sources show far less of it running. A sourced table and an honest look at the limits.Oct 9·8 min read

Models · BenchmarksLong-context recall: what independent benchmarks say "1 million tokens" really buys youEvery frontier API now accepts about a million tokens. Independent evaluations from RULER to ATLAS show how much of that window models actually use.Oct 9·9 min read

Industry · CompareFrontier APIs vs open models: what they really costHosted open models are cheap, but the frontier labs' small models now list even lower. Self-hosting pays off only at very high, steady volume. Verified prices and the arithmetic.Oct 9·Checked Oct 8

Policy · ExplainerWhat the EU AI Act means if you only use model APIsYou may never train a model and still be a "provider" under the AI Act. How the roles work, which duties are live in October 2026, and a checklist for teams building on hosted models.Oct 9·8 min read

Developers · ExplainerModel routing explained: how to mix cheap, mid and frontier modelsSending every request to a frontier model can cost 40 times more than it needs to. How routers, cascades and advisor patterns work, and what vendors actually offer.Oct 9·8 min read

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