According to a report from TIME, OpenAI's leadership believes that achieving artificial general intelligence (AGI) is imminent. The firm's new model, Astra, is currently functioning as an automated research intern, as explained by chief scientist Jakub Pachocki. However, the question of whether this model can "invent new things in a way that matters," a claim made by CEO Sam Altman, is contentious.
Altman expresses strong confidence that OpenAI will develop a system that qualifies as AGI by year-end, although he acknowledges that they are "not quite yet" there. Chief Research Officer Mark Chen estimates that the company is "80% of the way" toward this goal. Co-founder Greg Brockman suggests that future generations may view this period as the dawn of AGI.
This information comes from an in-depth article by TIME’s Alex Heath, who conducted interviews with over 20 stakeholders including executives, employees, investors, and competitors.
Astra is designed to operate as an automated AI research assistant. As highlighted by Pachocki, Astra meets internal benchmarks and can take experimental concepts, code them using OpenAI's platform, execute tests, and provide comprehensive results. When given a research paper, its capabilities can replicate what a human researcher would accomplish in approximately a week.
In addition, Astra supports "persistent agents," which are virtual colleagues that independently manage longer-term tasks. Altman expects this model to be capable of generating meaningful new knowledge. He remarked during a preview that this could be the first iteration where the AI genuinely invents valuable innovations—characterizing it as distinctly AGI-like.
The foundational expectation is that systems like Astra could lead to recursive self-improvement, meaning that AI could assist in enhancing its own capabilities. Researchers are divided on this concept; some believe such advancements remain distant, while others are observing early indicators of progress.
The conversation about AI's potential also includes significant debate regarding whether language models alone can genuinely foster new discoveries and demonstrate generalization, which are seen as foundational aspects of AGI. The term AGI lacks a concrete definition; OpenAI interprets it as "highly autonomous systems that outperform humans at most economically productive tasks," a definition heavily focused on economic utility. Conversely, other experts argue that AGI necessitates a deeper understanding of the world, suggesting that large language models are merely one component of a greater whole.
In addition to these ambitious projects, OpenAI is also pursuing the development of physical devices, with Altman mentioning that they are working on several concepts: a desktop device, a pocket-sized unit, and a wearable gadget. The initial product, expected to launch early next year, will be a small, puck-shaped device that interacts with its owner through voice commands. Altman has also confirmed plans for the development of humanoid robots.
On the operational side, OpenAI is focused on ensuring financial sustainability through a more streamlined product approach. A strategic initiative involves integrating Codex, its coding platform, with ChatGPT, a project known internally as "The Merge." This effort has led to the creation of ChatGPT Work, which aims to bring more capable AI to mainstream users, going beyond mere question-answering to actively managing tasks. Product lead Thibault Sottiaux mentioned that they are nearing the launch of a version with "persistence and always-on execution," promising a transformative user experience.
Additionally, OpenAI is exploring innovative monetization strategies. Preliminary tests of advertisements within ChatGPT have yielded positive results, prompting leadership to increase their frequency. According to CFO Sarah Friar, ad revenue could help offset costs for the 92 percent of ChatGPT users who do not hold subscriptions. The company is also piloting "Sponsored Agents," where users can engage in brand-specific AI experiences by clicking on advertisements.
