GPT-6 Astra Builds 5K and 10K Running Routes from OpenStreetMap in 27 Minutes
What happened?
FAQ
What is GPT-6 Astra?
It is OpenAI's latest model available inside ChatGPT Work, capable of long-running agentic tasks that call external tools such as Nominatim and Overpass and generate code and interactive maps.
How is this different from asking Google Maps for a route?
Google Maps serves pre-computed routes, while GPT-6 Astra built loops from scratch using open OpenStreetMap data to hit a target distance. That offers more customization but no official accuracy guarantee.
Can MENA teams use this capability today?
Yes, particularly in urban planning, logistics, and fitness applications, but outputs should be treated as first drafts requiring human verification because OpenStreetMap coverage varies across regional cities.
What is the context-compaction problem?
When a conversation grows long, the system summarizes it automatically, losing original details such as executed code. Willison suggests preserving pre-compaction text and exposing it to the agent via a tool call.
Source: Simon Willison (LLM & tools)
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