OpenAI to Merge Chat and Work in ChatGPT With Shared Token Budget

OpenAI is merging Chat and Work in ChatGPT and changing how usage limits work, according to an updated OpenAI support page. Starting in December, Plus, Pro, and Business plans will share a single token budget across ChatGPT and Codex as OpenAI folds Work's agentic features into the main interface. OpenAI had already announced plans to merge Chat and Work.

How the shared token budget works

Tokens measure the information a model processes and generates, so more complex models and tasks eat through the budget faster. Users can check their remaining balance and reset times in Settings, and once they hit the limit, they can wait for a reset, upgrade, or buy extra credits. Chats with Instant models will not count toward the budget, so on paper ChatGPT stays a flat-rate service, but heavy usage on cheaper plans will likely mean lower-quality results.

Why OpenAI is changing the interface

OpenAI recently doubled usage limits for higher-priced plans, presumably to prepare for the merger. The merger itself is likely a response to criticism of ChatGPT's growing complexity. Users currently choose between two operating modes and 11 model settings, differences even experienced users can barely keep straight.

Competitor context

Anthropic already combined Chat and "Cowork" in Claude.

Sources: The Decoder