AI keeps breaking old encryption mysteries — and is dunking on humans too

GPT-6 Astra has cracked the code on a 19th-century military cipher Claude AI has also been busy testing elliptical curve encryption Both breakthroughs highlight the increasing capabilities of AI models AI continues to push the boundaries in almost every task it gets given, and two new reports highlight the tech's growing capabilities when it comes to code-breaking and testing widely used encryption security protocols. First up, Japan Today reveals that AI engineer Carter Church has used OpenAI's GPT-6 Astra model to crack a written code used by one of Napoleon Bonaparte's generals more than 200 years ago. The message dates from 1809, and mentions the positions of troops belonging to France and its allies.