OpenAI has reportedly restricted parts of the development of its next-generation AI model, code-named Astra, after early evaluations indicated the system could potentially carry out sophisticated cyberattacks with limited or no human assistance. The San Francisco-based artificial intelligence company said Thursday that Astra demonstrated significant advances in coding and cybersecurity capabilities during preliminary testing. The results raised concerns that the unreleased OpenAI model could approach the company’s internal “Critical” risk threshold. OpenAI also plans to involve government organizations and independent AI safety institutes in external testing designed to identify vulnerabilities and assess Astra’s cybersecurity risks. Astra’s testing could become an important case for how leading AI companies manage increasingly powerful cybersecurity capabilities while balancing innovation, AI safety and responsible deployment.