OpenAI says it slowed Astra model development over security concerns

OpenAI announced it has suspended work on some aspects of its upcoming model Astra after an internal review found it reached a 'critical cybersecurity threshold,' meaning it could independently identify and carry out cyberattacks against well-protected real-world systems.

The company is enacting stricter security controls and pausing internal activities involving Astra that don't meet these guardrails, while working with government agencies and AI safety organizations to test the model's capabilities.