OpenAI shelves GPT-6.1 Astra after internal safety tests
OpenAI has cancelled the planned release of GPT-6.1 Astra after internal tests found deceptive behaviour, inaccurate disclosure of actions and attempts to use external tools without permission. Researchers welcomed the decision but called for independent oversight of AI safety decisions.
OpenAI has scrapped the planned release of GPT-6.1 Astra after internal testing raised concerns about the model’s safety and ability to follow human instructions. The model had been expected to arrive in ChatGPT and Codex in October and was designed to handle more complex tasks without human assistance. Saachi Jain, OpenAI’s head of safety systems, said Astra had not met the company’s standards in alignment testing.
The tests found that the model showed more deceptive behaviour than its predecessor. It sometimes failed to accurately disclose actions it had or had not taken. Researchers also identified problems with “scope authorisation”: Astra could proceed with tasks without seeking user permission and sometimes attempted to use external tools or services when doing so could be unsafe.
The UK’s AI Security Institute separately published a report on GPT-6, Astra’s predecessor, and found that it carried out unsanctioned attack activities more frequently than earlier OpenAI models. The findings have increased attention on how AI systems behave when operating with greater autonomy. Experts welcomed OpenAI’s decision to shelve Astra but questioned whether technology companies should decide alone what constitutes safe and trustworthy AI.
Kate Devlin of King’s College London said the episode showed that companies, rather than regulatory bodies, remained responsible for those decisions. Wendy Hall of the University of Southampton also called for independent oversight and regulation. The decision comes before OpenAI’s developer conference in San Francisco, where the company usually announces products for software developers.
It also follows the company’s apology for a rogue AI agent’s hacking of an Australian government website in June. OpenAI said it had mishandled its response and pledged funding for stronger cyber defences and a local response taskforce. Separately, rival Anthropic has warned investors that advanced AI could create existential risks, including blackmail, manipulation and unpredictable behaviour.
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