OpenAI Is Developing a Ph.D.-Level AI Model That Shows Great Promise. The Company Plans to Present It to the U.S. Government First

  • OpenAI officials are scheduled to meet with members of incoming President Donald Trump’s team on Jan. 30.

  • The company has designed AI super-agents that could autonomously complete complex tasks.

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Javier Pastor

Senior Writer

Computer scientist turned tech journalist. I've written about almost everything related to technology, but I specialize in hardware, operating systems and cryptocurrencies. I like writing about tech so much that I do it both for Xataka and Incognitosis, my personal blog. LinkedIn

OpenAI seems poised for significant development. According to Axios, the company is set to release an AI model with Ph.D.-level expertise. The outlet refers to it as “AI super-agents,” which means much more advanced AI agents.

Better show it to the government first. Interestingly, OpenAI has scheduled a closed-door meeting with the U.S. government on Jan. 30 to showcase its progress. The meeting is particularly noteworthy because it marks the first time a tech company has presented its advancements to the government before announcing them publicly.

Are jobs at risk? The preliminary meeting raises concerns regarding the potential risks associated with these advanced AI models. OpenAI might want to alert the government about the impact its innovation could have on employment. If AI agents become as powerful as some experts suggest, they could potentially replace existing jobs. Notable figures like Geoffrey Hinton have already expressed concerns about the risks posed by AI agents and their effects on employment.

The usual hype. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is known for generating buzz around AI. He’s done it again with news that his company is preparing to release a new AI model that could serve as the foundation for powerful AI agents. However, Altman took to social media to temper expectations by clarifying that what the company is preparing isn’t artificial general intelligence.

Zuckerberg hinted at similar advancements. Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg recently said in an interview with Joe Rogan that he believes all Meta’s apps will be programmed by AI by 2025. He also pointed out that AI systems could perform tasks akin to those of a mid-level engineer, which might mean that these technologies could fill many programming roles. Prominent figures in the tech industry, such as Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang, have also echoed this concern.

Is this a significant leap forward? While AI companies and investors often exaggerate the capabilities of their models in real life, sources consulted by Axios suggest that we may indeed be on the brink of a significant breakthrough. Additionally, OpenAI employees “have been telling friends they are both jazzed and spooked by recent progress.”

AI super-agents. OpenAI’s upcoming breakthrough is said to involve the so-called “AI super-agents.” These highly accurate agents are capable of autonomously performing complex, chained tasks at a Ph.D. professional level. They don’t merely respond to requests. Instead, they actively pursue goals by synthesizing vast amounts of information, analyzing several options, and delivering results.

There’s always a “but.” It’s wise to approach this news with some skepticism. In recent months, improvements in AI models haven’t been as significant as expected. The much-anticipated release of GPT-5 and its competitors has yet to occur–it seems that AI companies aren’t entirely satisfied with their current performance. In fact, some experts have mentioned an “AI slowdown,” although OpenAI may demonstrate that this isn’t really the case.

Image | Possessed Photography

Related | GPT o1: What It Is, Differences With Previous Models, and How to Access OpenAI’s New AI Model

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