OpenAI has published a method for testing models before they reach users, called Deployment Simulation. It works by replaying actual past conversations with new, unreleased models to see what harmful behavior might emerge in real conditions. According to the AI Alignment Forum, traditional safety tests often show artificial patterns—models perform differently when they know they're being tested. In GPT-5.4 testing, this new approach predicted dangerous behavior patterns 92 percent of the time, compared to just 54 percent for conventional evaluations. The method even handles complex tool-use scenarios by simulating how external systems would respond, making it a more grounded safety check than abstract testing alone.

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