OpenAI said upcoming Astra is the first model it designates at the Critical cybersecurity capability threshold under its Preparedness Framework, beating GPT-5.6 Sol on exploit benchmarks and even discovering zero-days in evals. It delayed parts of training/release, hardened refusals, classifiers, and chain-of-thought monitoring; advanced cyber access will start with limited testers and Daybreak Blue.

Key Takeaways

  • ✓Astra is OpenAI's first Critical cybersecurity designation under the Preparedness Framework.
  • ✓Perfect ExploitBench score; far stronger than GPT-5.6 Sol on an internal high-severity V8 set, including two zero-days.
  • ✓Hardened refusals (~91.5% jailbreak refusal), classifiers, and CoT monitoring; advanced cyber access starts limited.
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Key Decision Metrics at a Glance

TL;DR Verdict
🏆 Benchmark RankRank
Perfect ExploitBench score; far stronger than GPT-5.6 Sol on an internal high-severity V8 set, including two zero-days.
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GPT-5.6 Sol · in: $5 / out: $30
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🛠️ Ecosystem & IDERules
Astra · Preparedness Framework · Critical cyber
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