OpenAI launches Astra, its powerful (and controversial) new model

OpenAI released Astra on Thursday, its latest AI model and — according to the company — its most powerful and capable one yet. OpenAI claims that Astra represents a new frontier on computer and browser use, and that it handles tasks with unmatched speed, accuracy, and safety. The model is being made available Thursday to OpenAI customers that use Daybreak, its cybersecurity program. Over the next week, it will also become available through OpenAI’s paid plans — including Pro, Plus, Enterprise, and Business accounts — as well as through its API. In a call with journalists on Thursday, OpenAI president Greg Brockman said that Astra was the company’s most intelligent and aligned model yet. He added that it brings together years of research and big bets, representing a real shift in what kind of work people can delegate to AI. OpenAI has published details on the model's new capabilities and safeguards, noting that it tested Astra on a variety of security benchmarks. Its ability to identify and develop zero-day exploits can help defenders find and patch weaknesses. The company has also boasted about Astra’s coding abilities, claiming it is the best model for software engineering to date.