Do I need to switch to Claude Opus 5.5 or GPT-6 Sol?

Not automatically. Both launched on 22 September 2026, and both companies' performance claims are their own. Anthropic says Opus 5.5 costs 40% less to run than Opus 5. Test either on one real task from your business before you change how your team works.

What did the ASD say about AI and old computer systems?

At the Sydney Dialogue on 16 September 2026, ASD Director-General Abigail Bradshaw said Australia has an enormous legacy technology debt. Cyber Daily reports she said old systems will likely be the first compromised in a major AI-enabled attack if organisations move too slowly.

Is the government's AI infrastructure consultation about small business?

It is mainly about data centres. The paper covers renewable energy needs, water use, where data centres should be built, community costs and the conditions for training AI models in Australia. Submissions close on 9 October 2026.

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In the World of AI: Week of 15 September 2026, Claude Opus 5.5 and GPT-6 Sol Arrive Together

2026-09-22

Anthropic and OpenAI released new models on the same day, Claude Cowork became available from any conversation, and Australia's signals intelligence chief warned about old technology. Here is the week from 16 to 22 September 2026, with one step for each story.

Claude Cowork moves into every conversation

Anthropic's release notes record two changes on 16 September. Cowork features are now available from any chat without choosing a mode first, and chats, Cowork tasks, projects, connectors and skills carry over. The rollout is gradual, for Pro and Max plans on web, desktop and mobile. Separately, Claude Design, Claude Slides and Claude Docs are available on every plan, including Free, and in beta on Enterprise plans.

Why it matters: Staff on a free or low-cost plan can now ask for a deck or a document inside an ordinary chat. That is convenient, and it also means more company information may end up in personal accounts.

This week: Ask your team which AI accounts they use for work, and which are personal. Our answer on whether ChatGPT is safe for client data covers the same issue for any chat tool.

Anthropic releases Claude Opus 5.5

On 22 September, Anthropic announced Claude Opus 5.5. The company says it performs at the level of Claude Fable 5.1 on most work and costs 40% less to run than Opus 5. Anthropic also says five-hour usage limits are increasing on Pro, Max, Team and seat-based Enterprise plans, and subscribers get a rate limit reset. It says Sonnet 5.5 and Haiku 5.5 are expected in the coming weeks.

Why it matters: The cost claim and the higher limits are Anthropic's own. If your team often runs into usage caps, this may ease them.

This week: Pick one task your team does weekly and run it on the new model, then compare time and quality against your current result. The guide on measuring whether AI is working shows how.

OpenAI releases GPT-6 Sol and Luna

TechCrunch reported on 22 September that OpenAI released GPT-6 Sol, aimed at complex tasks such as coding, and GPT-6 Luna, aimed at high-volume work like summarising documents. Both are in ChatGPT Work and Codex for most paid accounts. Luna is also available in the desktop app and for Free and Go users. Help Net Security adds that OpenAI says Sol makes about half as many factual errors as its predecessor. That claim comes from OpenAI and is not independently verified.

Why it matters: Fewer errors would help, and any model still needs a person to check what it writes. A cheaper model for repetitive work could also suit tasks such as summarising customer emails.

This week: Choose a repetitive summarising job, test Luna on ten real examples and check each output by hand. Our answer on what AI can automate in a small business lists other candidates.

The ASD warns that old technology is the first target

Abigail Bradshaw, director-general of the Australian Signals Directorate, spoke at the Sydney Dialogue, and Cyber Daily reported her remarks on 16 September. She said Australia has an "enormous legacy technology debt". She said AI could push organisations to replace outdated systems, or, if they move too slowly, those systems will likely be the first compromised in a major AI-enabled attack. She sees setting targets to reduce legacy technology as the most useful step.

Why it matters: A small business has legacy technology too, such as an old server, an unpatched router or accounting software nobody updates.

This week: List the three oldest systems your business depends on and note who is responsible for keeping each one updated.

The government opens a consultation on AI infrastructure

The Albanese government launched a consultation paper, "Getting it right: Building AI infrastructure that works for Australia", with the launch statement dated 17 September, reports Cyber Daily. It covers renewable energy needs for AI infrastructure, water use, where and how data centres are built, community costs and the conditions for training AI models in Australia. It also covers support for Australian creatives and copyright holders. Submissions close on 9 October 2026.

Why it matters: Decisions about data centres affect where AI services are hosted and what they may cost. Businesses that create or license content have a direct interest in the copyright questions.

This week: If your business publishes content that AI companies could train on, read the paper and decide whether to make a submission.

What to do this week

Find out which AI accounts staff use for work and which are personal.
Test one weekly task on Opus 5.5 and compare the result with your current setup.
Test Luna on ten summarising jobs and check every output.
List your three oldest systems and who looks after each.
Decide whether to respond to the consultation before 9 October.

Sources

Anthropic, Claude release notes (items dated 16 September 2026): support.claude.com
Anthropic, "Introducing Claude Opus 5.5", 22 September 2026: anthropic.com
TechCrunch, "OpenAI launches GPT-6 Sol and Luna", 22 September 2026: techcrunch.com
Help Net Security, "GPT-6 Sol and Luna arrive", 23 September 2026, reporting the 22 September release: helpnetsecurity.com
Cyber Daily, "ASD chief says Aussie companies' aging tech a growing concern in the age of AI", 16 September 2026: cyberdaily.au
Cyber Daily, "Australian government launches consultation period on the future of AI in the country", 18 September 2026: cyberdaily.au

good questions, straight answers

Frequently asked questions

Do I need to switch to Claude Opus 5.5 or GPT-6 Sol?: Not automatically. Both launched on 22 September 2026, and both companies' performance claims are their own. Anthropic says Opus 5.5 costs 40% less to run than Opus 5. Test either on one real task from your business before you change how your team works.
What did the ASD say about AI and old computer systems?: At the Sydney Dialogue on 16 September 2026, ASD Director-General Abigail Bradshaw said Australia has an enormous legacy technology debt. Cyber Daily reports she said old systems will likely be the first compromised in a major AI-enabled attack if organisations move too slowly.
Is the government's AI infrastructure consultation about small business?: It is mainly about data centres. The paper covers renewable energy needs, water use, where data centres should be built, community costs and the conditions for training AI models in Australia. Submissions close on 9 October 2026.

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