1M Token Context Window Race
activeOrigin: Multiple labs, Q1 2026
In Q1 2026, 1M token context windows became standard across frontier models. Claude Sonnet 4.6: 1M tokens in beta (February 2026). GPT-5.4: 1M+ token context. The race: how much context can be processed in a single call? This matters because large codebases, research corpora, and legal documents can now be processed whole.
Usage
Use as evidence that the 'AI can understand entire codebases' era has arrived. '1M token context' is the current standard — anything less is now behind.
Mutations & variants
'Whole codebase context' — practical implication of 1M tokens
'Context window arms race' — the competitive framing
Shelf life: Active — will be superseded as windows grow beyond 1M