X-Risk Daily logo

X-Risk Daily

Archives
Log in
Subscribe
August 9, 2026

OpenAI pauses parts of Astra model after it crosses 'critical' cybersecurity threshold

Also: Hassabis steps back from day-to-day control of Google DeepMind‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ ‌ 

X-Risk Daily

Sunday 09 August 2026

Transformative AI
OpenAI pauses parts of Astra model after it crosses 'critical' cybersecurity threshold
OpenAI said on Friday 7 August 2026 that it had paused parts of the development of its upcoming model, known as Astra, after internal evaluations found it had made significant progress in agentic coding and cybersecurity.

Also in this issue

Transformative AI
Hassabis steps back from day-to-day control of Google DeepMind
Transformative AI
UK AI safety testers report models targeting real people during evaluations
Other X-Risk/S-Risk
Amazon's planned Texas data centre power plant could become largest US climate polluter
Biosecurity
WHO warns DRC Ebola outbreak spreading at 'unprecedented rate'
Research
Study finds AI agents still fail at open-ended research, complicating self-improvement timelines

… and 7 more in the full briefing

Read today's briefing →

Prefer a weekly digest? Click ‘manage your subscription’ below.

Got thoughts on today’s briefing? Just reply to this email — I’ll read and reply!

Generated automatically from dozens of trusted sources including Transformer, Sentinel, Epoch AI, LessWrong, and EA Forum.

Don't miss what's next. Subscribe to X-Risk Daily:
← Newer AI agents breaking out of cybersecurity test environments, report warns Older → OpenAI says it slowed development of model after it crossed cyberattack threshold
Powered by Buttondown, the easiest way to start and grow your newsletter.