OpenAI says Astra AI model is its first that crosses 'Critical' cybersecurity capability

OpenAI on Tuesday said its upcoming artificial intelligence model Astra is the first offering that crosses its "Critical" cybersecurity capability threshold.

The company said Astra can find previously unknown security flaws and exploit them without step-by-step guidance from humans, which means the model falls under the most advanced category of its so-called Preparedness Framework. OpenAI said it still plans to make Astra available "soon," but that access to its cybersecurity capabilities will be more limited.

OpenAI introduced its Preparedness Framework in 2023, and it serves as the company's method for "tracking and preparing for advanced AI capabilities that could introduce new risks of severe harm." In an update to the framework last year, the company outlined a "High" capability threshold, where models could amplify "existing pathways" to severe harm, and a "Critical" capability threshold, where models could introduce "unprecedented new pathways" to severe harm.

"We will share more details about our safety, security and alignment testing and evaluations in the model's System Card at launch," OpenAI said in a blog post on Tuesday.