simonwillison.netarticleQuoting Ted Sanders
Quote from Ted Sanders of OpenAI, posted on Simon Willison's blog on 28 October 2026, explaining OpenAI's model naming. Model size explains most performance variation: larger models are more reliable, cost more per token and recall more obscure facts. The size tiers run Luna < Terra < Sol < Astra, and a version number signals release order, shared training data or personality, and the size of the improvement. The excerpt is short and gives no benchmark data.
TL;DR Ted Sanders explains that OpenAI's Luna, Terra, Sol and Astra tiers are ordered by model size, and what version numbers like 6.1 signal.
Organisations named here
- OpenAI
- Simon Willison
- Ted Sanders
Technologies named here
- Luna
- Terra
- Sol
- Astra
- LLM
- GPT-6 Luna
- GPT-6 Sol
- GPT-6 Astra
Related in models
