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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 · ExplainerReasoning models explained: thinking tokens, what they cost, and when to use themClaude, GPT-6 and Gemini all bill hidden thinking as output tokens. How each vendor exposes it, what it costs in practice, and when to turn it down.Oct 9·7 min read

Industry · ExplainerOpenAI explained: who controls it, what it sells, and how it makes moneyFrom a 2015 nonprofit to a public benefit corporation reportedly seeking a $1.4 trillion valuation: OpenAI's structure, Microsoft deal, products, prices and revenue.Oct 9·7 min read

Policy · ExplainerThe EU AI Act in October 2026: what actually applies nowThe AI Omnibus pushed high-risk rules to late 2027, but general-purpose AI obligations, transparency duties and EU enforcement are already live. The dates, from official EU sources.Oct 9·9 min read

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