OpenAI's BioBasicsBench tests AI agents on everyday wet-lab science
OpenAI teamed up with biotech firm Ligo to launch BioBasicsBench, evaluating how AI agents interpret raw data across 100 routine wet-lab tasks. Running at maximum reasoning effort, GPT-6 Astra scored 66.7%, comfortably beating GPT-5.6 Sol's 43.8%. Still, the models struggle with control checks and colony counting, showing AI lab assistants aren't ready to fly solo just yet.