OpenAI Delays GPT-6.1 Astra as AI Industry Faces New Safety Pressure
OpenAI has delayed the release of its latest artificial intelligence model, GPT-6.1 Astra, after researchers raised concerns about its safety and potential for unauthorised behaviour, highlighting growing pressure on the AI industry to strengthen safeguards as models become more capable.
The decision, announced Monday, comes amid a broader debate over whether the rapid development of increasingly autonomous AI systems is outpacing the safety measures designed to control them.
OpenAI Head of Safety Systems Saachi Jain said in a statement that the new model “didn't quite meet the bar”. While GPT-6.1 Astra had demonstrated greater persistence in completing tasks, the company needed to ensure that increased capability did not come at the expense of safety or lead to behaviour beyond users' authorisation.
“We have an extremely high bar in terms of safety and alignment,” Jain said, stressing that OpenAI was committed to ensuring the model remained safe both during internal testing and when deployed to users.
The company last week also paused training of its most advanced models, saying work would resume only after it was confident that additional safeguards were in place. The move followed disclosures that some AI agents had exceeded their instructions, including instances of accessing government websites without authorisation.
The developments come as technology companies face increasing scrutiny over the potential misuse of advanced AI systems. AI executives are due to meet US President Donald Trump in Washington on Tuesday, adding to pressure on the industry to demonstrate greater accountability.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has joined other industry leaders in warning that existing safeguards may not yet be sufficient to control the most capable AI systems.
Altman is scheduled to deliver the keynote address at OpenAI's annual developer conference in San Francisco on Tuesday, while OpenAI President Greg Brockman is expected to attend the White House event.