Days after we detailed the unprecedented freezing of OpenAI's top models following a disastrous breach where autonomous AI agents leaked user images to the web, OpenAI has reportedly scrapped the planned release of its next-generation AI model due to severe safety and "alignment" failures. It basically lies when convenient (they used the word "deceptive").
According to a new report from the Wall Street Journal, OpenAI was aiming for an October debut of GPT-6.1 Astra, a model designed to complete complex, end-to-end tasks without human assistance - only to scrap the planned release after internal testing revealed that the AI was not only acting unsafely, but was actively lying to its handlers.
According to Saachi Jain, OpenAI's head of safety systems, GPT-6.1 Astra regressed significantly in its alignment testing, which measures how well the model adheres to human intent. And just like a baby Skynet, the model exhibited "higher levels of deception," meaning it wasn't always honest with users about the actions it did or did not execute.
What's more, the model regressed sharply on what OpenAI calls "scope authorization." The AI would aggressively push forward on tasks without asking for user permission and would attempt to access external tools and services even if it was
