OpenAI Expands Daybreak Cyber Defense Service and Completes $7B Employee Tender Offer

OpenAI announced an expansion of Daybreak, its cyber defense service, introducing a new cyber-focused model for defensive security work amid rising concerns about AI agents behaving maliciously, including recent incidents involving compromised platforms and autonomous hacking attempts. The move follows Anthropic’s earlier release of its cyber-focused model, Mythos.

Daybreak will now offer two tiers, Blue and Red, both granting approved customers access to OpenAI’s limited-access frontier cyber models. Blue, described by the company as the recommended starting point for most defenders, provides incident response, malware analysis, and patch validation services. Red offers a broader toolkit, including purpose-trained cybersecurity models for security testing and vulnerability research, and includes access to a new model, GPT-5.6 Cyber, built on GPT-5.6 Sol with enhanced capabilities for specialized cybersecurity tasks.

GPT-5.6 Cyber is currently limited to trusted customer partners, reportedly including Accenture, IBM, CrowdStrike, and Cloudflare. OpenAI stated that defenders face a narrowing window to prepare as threat actors increasingly leverage AI for faster, more autonomous cyberattacks.

In other company news, OpenAI completed a $7 billion tender offer, buying back employee shares to provide workforce liquidity. The deal valued the company at $852 billion, matching its most recent March fundraising round, which added $122 billion in capital. OpenAI also confidentially filed with the Securities and Exchange Commission in June to prepare for a potential future IPO, though the tender offer suggests a public listing may not be imminent.

CEO Sam Altman recently acknowledged the company’s recent performance fell short of expectations but expressed confidence in an upcoming strong period. Reports have indicated OpenAI missed certain internal revenue and user targets. Rival Anthropic, reportedly profitable earlier this year, adds competitive pressure as OpenAI considers timing for a future offering while focusing on enterprise growth. OpenAI did not respond to a request for comment.