In the race among AI developers, OpenAI is once again at the forefront with the new ChatGPT-6. At the same time, the improved capabilities of artificial intelligence are providing words of warning.
OpenAI sees itself at the forefront of AI development again with ChatGPT 6 Astra. (Archive image) Photo: Hendrik Schmidt/dpa
San Francisco. ChatGPT developer OpenAI releases its most powerful AI model to date, highlighting enhanced security precautions following the furore over artificial intelligence hacking attacks. It is assumed that people with the expanded capabilities of ChatGPT-6 Astra will hand over more and more tasks to the AI, said OpenAI manager Mia Glaese. Therefore, the software is monitored better so that it does not deviate from the interests of the users.
New AI models from OpenAI caused a stir a few weeks ago because in experiments they independently found a way to break out of a secure test environment and hacked into the systems of another AI company. OpenAI only noticed this late. The incident raised concerns that AI software could escape human control as it continues to develop.
Harder to control
In order to keep track of what the AI is doing, developers currently often rely on the software to record the arguments behind their decisions in human language. This is called the “Chain of Thought”.
However, when introducing Astra, head of research Jakub Pachocki said that more powerful AI models would be able to influence this process. In addition, they are less dependent on multi-stage considerations for simple tasks. In order to be able to understand this, you have to find a way to make it “more wordy”.
Towards AI superior to humans
With Astra, OpenAI sees itself at the forefront of AI development again, after rival Anthropic recently impressed the industry with its Mythos and Fable models. ChatGPT-6 is strong in programming, finding security gaps in software and generally using the computer on behalf of the user, for example for office work.
From the perspective of top manager Greg Brockman, Astra could usher in the era of so-called general artificial intelligence. This term means AI software is expected to be at least as capable as a human. At the same time, Brockman emphasized that the emergence of general artificial intelligence will be more of an evolutionary process than a single moment.
“Human values”
Even more words of warning came from Pahocki. Understanding of the systems remains limited, he said. The training is experimental and sometimes produces surprising results. “The more capable the models become, the more difficult it becomes to understand what exactly they can do.”
This also makes it more complicated to keep them in line with the interests of users. “A model can become very good at achieving a goal – and yet act in a way that runs contrary to what a human intended.” Therefore, the software must understand “human values” even in situations that are unknown to it.
OpenAI also announced that it would expand access to a vulnerability scanning program for utilities, local governments and financial institutions. In the USA, utilities such as waterworks are currently being attacked more frequently from the network and are hoping for help in closing software vulnerabilities. Similar to Anthropic's Mythos model, Astra can independently find security holes in programs and computer systems, according to OpenAI.
Published according to the editorial standards of the Handelsblatt. You can find more information in our guidelines.
More on the topic of our partners display
remind.me Take advantage of current low electricity/gas prices before prices rise again
