SAN FRANCISCO – OpenAI, the company behind the popular ChatGPT AI, has announced a groundbreaking new pricing structure designed to curb what it describes as an 'excessive and frankly uneconomical' amount of user-generated thought. The new 'Limited Thought' tier will offer users a finite number of mental breakthroughs per month, with options for purchasing additional insights as needed.

“We’ve observed that many users are simply thinking too much,” stated Dr. Evelyn Reed, OpenAI’s newly appointed Head of Cognitive Resource Allocation. “Our models are being asked to generate everything from groundbreaking scientific theories to novel ways to avoid doing laundry. This level of unfettered digital cogitation is simply unsustainable for our current infrastructure.” Reed elaborated that the company believes a more structured approach to intellectual output will foster 'higher quality, more deliberate thinking.'

The 'Limited Thought' plan will initially cap users at approximately 50 significant ideas or complex problem-solving sessions per billing cycle, with smaller, more mundane requests, such as summarizing emails, falling under a 'Basic Reflection' allowance. Exceeding these limits will result in a soft cap, where ChatGPT will respond with increasingly generic or uninspired answers, often defaulting to platitudes about 'synergy' or 'leveraging existing paradigms.'

Critics argue the move stifles innovation, but OpenAI maintains it’s a necessary step. “We’re not saying you can’t think big,” Dr. Reed clarified. “We’re just saying you might need to budget your big thoughts. Perhaps save that cure for cancer for next month, or consider if your novel’s plot twist truly requires AI-generated philosophical underpinning this week.” The company is also exploring a 'Premium Epiphany' add-on for users requiring urgent, high-impact revelations.

The new pricing model is expected to roll out next quarter, prompting many users to begin rationing their existential dread and groundbreaking business strategies immediately.