GPT-6 Astra Is Here—and OpenAI Thinks It May Kick Off the AGI Era

OpenAI announced Thursday the launch of its next generation AI model, GPT-6 Astra, which the company claims is state of the art at navigating computers and web browsers, writing software, and solving difficult math problems.

It plans to make GPT-6 Astra available to paid customers in the coming days, starting with enterprise clients in its Daybreak early access program, followed by ChatGPT Plus, Pro, and Business plan subscribers. OpenAI did not say whether GPT-6 Astra will be available to free users of ChatGPT.

In a press briefing with reporters, OpenAI executives made it clear that they feel very confident about the company’s latest AI model. President and cofounder Greg Brockman says he personally believes the world is now in the era of artificial general intelligence, or AI systems that are generally smarter than humans.

“It’s not unreasonable to feel that we are now in the AGI era,” Brockman told reporters. “I think that if we fast forward a couple of years, when we look back and say, ‘When was it really that AGI was created?’ I think it's going to be about this time, and I think it might be about this model."

OpenAI is releasing GPT-6 Astra at a critical moment for the company. The ChatGPT maker is trying to rapidly advance its technology and boost sales ahead of a planned initial offering while simultaneously avoiding compromising on safety and security. OpenAI is also facing stiff competition from Anthropic, its most important rival, which is also working on an upcoming IPO.