OpenAI has released GPT-6 Astra, a closed, hosted model positioned primarily as a computer-use system rather than a chat model. It operates software across browsers, spreadsheets, and terminals to complete multi-step jobs, featuring a 1,050,000-token context window and a knowledge cutoff of April 30, 2026.
- Astra replaces compaction with persistent notes in Codex to retain detail during long agent runs.
- It can ask users questions while continuing independent work to prevent job stalls.
- The model reached OpenAI's 'Critical' cybersecurity threshold, having developed exploits for hardened systems and found two unknown V8 vulnerabilities.
- Standard access refuses advanced cybersecurity work, requiring Trusted Access or Daybreak program membership.
- Pricing is $10 per million input tokens and $50 per million output tokens, with no open weights available.
Astra scores 72.6% on OSWorld V2-Offline with average task time reduced from roughly 75 to 40 minutes, though coding gains are marginal compared to competitors.