OpenAI’s Astra Raises Concerns Over Lack of Transparent Reasoning in AI Systems

AI safety researchers have raised alarms about OpenAI’s Astra, noting that it performs much of its reasoning without displaying it clearly in text form. OpenAI’s chief scientist has cautioned against a competitive rush towards AI models that are increasingly difficult to monitor. This concern led to a collaborative 2025 position paper urging developers to carefully evaluate and disclose how their AI systems reason, a guideline the EU has adopted into its AI Office filing requirements.