OpenAI has launched a $100-per-month ChatGPT Pro plan and new Codex updates to compete with rival Anthropic [1].

These moves signal an aggressive push by OpenAI to capture high-paying professional users and close the functionality gap with Anthropic's Claude Max. The company is diversifying its technical capabilities to maintain dominance in the AI coding market while navigating a high-profile legal battle with a former co-founder.

The new ChatGPT Pro plan launched on April 9, 2026 [2]. This tier targets power users by providing five times the Codex access compared to standard plans [2]. In tandem with this pricing shift, OpenAI has expanded the reach of its Codex tool. A plugin allowing Codex to run inside Anthropic's Claude Code was published on GitHub on March 30, 2026 [3].

Further updates to Codex now allow the tool to control macOS apps and operate directly on the desktop [4]. While some reports suggest the tool remains a cloud-first assistant accessed via Windows, the macOS update focuses on local desktop integration [4].

These product launches occur amid significant legal tension. Elon Musk testified on April 30, 2026, in a lawsuit against OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman [5]. The proceedings, held in a U.S. federal court in the San Francisco district, stem from disputes over the governance of the organization, and Musk's previous involvement with the entity [5].

Outside of the courtroom, the broader tech sector is seeing a period of growth. Major hyperscalers have reported earnings beats and increased capital expenditure. Simultaneously, the biotech sector is seeing a surge in investor interest regarding peptide therapeutics, specifically the drug retatrutide [5].

“OpenAI launched a $100-per-month ChatGPT Pro plan”

OpenAI is attempting to pivot from a general-purpose consumer tool to a high-margin professional service. By integrating Codex into competitor environments like Claude Code and expanding OS-level control on macOS, the company is prioritizing utility and ecosystem lock-in. However, the ongoing legal battle with Elon Musk creates a governance cloud that may complicate long-term strategic planning and investor relations.