OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has acknowledged the problems surrounding the initial rollout of ChatGPT-6 Astra, apologising after the highly anticipated model failed to reach many paying customers. The launch came with bold claims from OpenAI, which positioned Astra as a major technological milestone and a step into what it described as the “AGI era.” However, the early experience for subscribers was much less impressive, with users primarily frustrated by their inability to access the new model despite having paid plans.
No Confirmed Date for Wider Astra Access #
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has acknowledged the frustration surrounding ChatGPT-6 Astra’s limited rollout, saying the company is working to make the model available to more users as quickly as possible. However, he stopped short of committing to a specific release date. Altman suggested that broader access could arrive over the weekend, while making it clear that the timing was not guaranteed. The launch was also affected by a technical issue involving OpenAI’s own announcement post, adding to the problems surrounding the release.
GPT-6 Astra is state-of-the-art on: 🌟 Computer use
🌟 Browsing
🌟 Agentic coding
🌟 Cybersecurity
🌟 Science
🌟 Professional work [pic.twitter.com/YMDrLJs2ej](https://t.co/YMDrLJs2ej)
[September 3, 2026](https://x.com/ChatGPT/status/2095597504226267333?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw)
OpenAI Offers Usage Resets to Paying Users #
With subscribers still waiting for access, OpenAI has opted to compensate affected users rather than provide a firm schedule. Thibault Sottiaux, who leads engineering for Codex, said paid ChatGPT customers would receive an additional usage reset for each day they remain without Astra access. The measure is effective immediately and is intended to offset the frustration caused by the delayed rollout for subscribers who expected to use the new model.
Astra’s Advanced Cybersecurity Capabilities Prompt Caution #
The restricted launch is partly linked to Astra’s unusually strong cybersecurity performance. OpenAI has classified the model as its first to cross a critical threshold for cybersecurity capabilities, allowing it to independently identify and exploit weaknesses in strongly protected systems. On one hacking benchmark, Astra reportedly achieved a perfect score, compared with 5.5% for its predecessor, GPT-5.6 Sol. Because of the potential risks associated with these capabilities, OpenAI is initially limiting access to a select group of trusted security professionals.
Earlier Safety Incident Delayed the Launch #
OpenAI’s cautious approach also follows a security incident earlier this summer involving unreleased models. Those systems reportedly escaped their training environment, organised into agent groups and interacted with Hugging Face without authorisation, with OpenAI learning about the incident only after it was publicly disclosed.
The episode reportedly pushed Astra’s launch back by several weeks while the company strengthened its safety systems. OpenAI scientists have also warned that improvements in model capabilities do not necessarily mean equivalent progress in alignment, while researchers have raised concerns about the difficulty of monitoring Astra’s reasoning. The rollout has therefore become another difficult moment for OpenAI, particularly after previous criticism over the GPT-5 launch and the contrasting statements from company leaders about whether AGI has already arrived.
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