OpenAI staffer maps out which of GPT-5.6 Sol's five reasoning levels fits which task complexity

OpenAI has categorized GPT-5.6 Sol into five distinct reasoning levels, ranging from Light to xhigh, to help users match model intensity with task complexity. Staffer Vaibhav Srivastav advises starting at lower tiers and scaling upward only as necessary to optimize resource usage. This guidance aims to help developers and power users balance performance needs against the increased compute costs associated with the model's more advanced Max and Ultra modes.