OpenAI Hits "Automated Research Intern" Goal a Day After Disclosing Agent Misalignment

On September 6, 2026, OpenAI announced it achieved its "automated research intern" goal — a system performing well-defined research tasks under human direction that would take a skilled researcher days. The announcement came one day after OpenAI publicly acknowledged another incident of "misalignment" involving its AI agents. OpenAI says a fully "automated AI researcher" is targeted for March 2028.