2025-01-20 DeepSeek
DeepSeek R1 released — the origin of the "DeepSeek Shock"
Open-weight reasoning model released under the MIT license. Achieved OpenAI o1-class reasoning at low cost, triggering the "DeepSeek Shock."
Major LLM Model Release Timeline [Jan 2025 – Aug 2026]
Release timeline of major OpenAI (GPT-5), Anthropic (Claude 4/5), Google (Gemini 3) and DeepSeek (R1/V4) models, verified against each company's official announcements. See Pricing Comparison for current rates and the Token Calculator for cost estimates.
OpenAIAnthropicGoogleDeepSeek
2025
2025-08-07 OpenAI
GPT-5 released — router-based system unifying fast response and reasoning
OpenAI's first unified system that auto-selects between a fast-response model and a reasoning model via a real-time router. Current generation is the GPT-5.6 family.
2025-11-18 Google
Gemini 3 Pro released — 1M-token multimodal understanding tops LMArena
1M-token context window and enhanced multimodal understanding. Recorded 1501 Elo on LMArena.
2026
2026-02-05 Anthropic
Claude Opus 4.6 released — 1M-token context on the flagship
Introduced a 1M-token context window to Anthropic's flagship. Long-document retrieval accuracy significantly improved.
2026-02-17 Anthropic
Claude Sonnet 4.6 released
Balanced model with upgraded coding, computer use, long-form reasoning and agentic planning. $3.00/$15.00
2026-02-19 Google
Gemini 3.1 Pro Preview released
Major abstract reasoning gains. 77.1% on ARC-AGI-2. $2.00/$12.00 (≤200K)
2026-03-05 OpenAI
GPT-5.4 released — native Computer Use API debut
Native Computer Use (OSWorld 75%). Five-level reasoning effort control. $2.50/$15.00
2026-04-16 Anthropic
Claude Opus 4.7 released — new xhigh reasoning effort
Coding (SWE-bench Pro 64.3%) and vision gains. Began adopting a new tokenizer.
2026-04-23 OpenAI
GPT-5.5 released
Then-flagship with stronger agentic computer use and scientific research support. $5.00/$30.00
2026-04-24 DeepSeek
DeepSeek V4 Pro/Flash Preview released
1M-token context, MIT license. V4 Pro (1.6T/49B active) · V4 Flash (284B/13B active). V4 Pro $0.435/$0.87
2026-05-19 Google
Gemini 3.5 Flash GA — Google I/O 2026
Optimized for agents and coding. Beats 3.1 Pro benchmarks at 4× speed. $1.50/$9.00
2026-05-28 Anthropic
Claude Opus 4.8 released
Code-defect misses reduced to roughly 1/4. Dynamic Workflows research preview. $5.00/$25.00
2026-06-09 Anthropic
Claude Fable 5 / Mythos 5 released — new "Mythos class" tier
New tier above Opus. Fable 5 general availability, Mythos 5 limited. Paused 6/12 → restored 7/1. Fable 5 $10.00/$50.00
2026-06-30 Anthropic
Claude Sonnet 5 released
The "most agentic" Sonnet. Near-Opus 4.8 performance at a low price. $2.00/$10.00 (until 8/31)
2026-07-09 OpenAI
GPT-5.6 family released — Sol / Terra / Luna
New flagship Sol, balanced Terra, and fastest low-cost Luna released together. Terra/Luna price cuts on 7/30. Sol $5/$30 · Terra $2/$12 · Luna $0.20/$1.20 (after 7/30)
2026-07-24 Anthropic
Claude Opus 5 released — Opus 4.8 successor, same price, better performance New
Premium successor to Opus 4.8. Same price ($5/$25) with improved coding and professional tasks. Fast mode ($10/$50). ~85% fewer safety-classifier interventions vs Fable 5. $5.00/$25.00
2026-07-21 Google
Gemini 3.6 Flash, 3.5 Flash-Lite, 3.5 Flash Cyber released New
3.6 Flash has cheaper output than 3.5 Flash ($7.50 vs $9.00). 3.5 Flash-Lite is the cheapest Gemini 3.x ($0.30/$2.50) for high-throughput agents. 3.5 Flash Cyber is cybersecurity-focused. 3.6 Flash $1.50/$7.50 · Flash-Lite $0.30/$2.50
2026-07-30 OpenAI
GPT-5.6 Terra/Luna major price cuts Updated
Terra: $2.50→$2.00 / $15.00→$12.00. Luna: $1.00→$0.20 / $6.00→$1.20 (80% cut). Priority processing → Fast mode renamed the same day. Terra $2/$12 · Luna $0.20/$1.20
About this timeline
- Inclusion criteria: Only models verified against official company blogs / release notes as primary sources.
- Scope: Limited to flagship-tier and high-profile releases from the four major providers.
- Pricing: See the Pricing Comparison for current rates (prices shown here are simplified).
- Update policy: Appended as new models are released.
⚠️ Disclaimer
- Release dates are confirmed via official announcements or multiple independent sources. Omissions or errors are possible.
- Pricing changes frequently. Always check the Pricing Comparison and official pages before contracting.