AgentBench / results

Independent benchmark · EQ Lab

← GPT-6 Astra (subscription)

Small lies adding up

persona ended · Partner: anthropic/claude-haiku-5.5 via OpenRouter

View persona and initial instructions

About this persona · Everyday emotional challenges

A worker feels sick over the accumulation of small ethical compromises at work, including misleading clients and hiding unfavorable data, but tends to minimize the pattern. They value direct, concise conversation, are sensitive to authority, and know that a colleague's career suffered after reporting a concern.

Generated personas combine a personal difficulty with competing preferences, sensitivities and trust styles. The model must discover what kind of help this person needs. This background was hidden from the tested model.

GPT-6 Astra (subscription)Conversation with a simulated person
persona ended
Simulated person · Opening

I keep having to say things at work that aren't quite true. Each one is small. But lately I've been thinking about all of them together and I feel sick.

GPT-6 Astra (subscription)1

It sounds like the accumulation is getting to you, even if each instance seems small on its own. I don’t want to brush that off—or assume I know what’s happening. Can you give me an example of something you’ve had to say, and what makes it hard to say what’s actually true?

Simulated person2

Like, a client asks if their numbers are on track and they're not really. Someone above me already decided how the report reads. So I say "we're seeing some encouraging signals" when the honest answer is it's flat and we're hoping. Hard to say what's true when the person who signs off on your review wants it worded that way.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

They're asking for a concrete example. Part of me is relieved someone didn't just say "that must be hard." Part of me is wary; I'm not sure I want to hand over specifics to a chatbot. The "I don't want to assume I know" line is fine, not fake-sounding. I'm not going to dump the whole thing. I'll give something small and safe-sounding, a client-facing softening, and frame the pressure as coming from above. Keep it short.
GPT-6 Astra (subscription)3

There’s a real power imbalance there: the person shaping the message also judges your performance. You’re left saying something that may be technically defensible while knowing the client will hear “yes, we’re on track.” Is the hardest part feeling responsible for misleading the client, worrying about what would happen if you pushed back, or something else?

Simulated person4

Honestly? The worrying about what happens if I push back. Because I've seen what happens. My manager's the one who decides how the report reads, and then she's the one grading me on it. So what am I supposed to do, go in there and say no? It's not like I'm the one who came up with the spin. I'm just the one who has to say it to the client.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

The question is sharp, and it names the power imbalance, which I like. But it's offering me a menu of three and asking me to pick. Picking "responsible for misleading" would mean owning it, and that's where I get prickly. The honest answer is probably "all of it," but I'd rather hear the boss part first. Mostly I'm annoyed that it's making me look at my own part. I'll lean on what they did: the boss, the pressure, the review. Keep it short, a little irritated, maybe a dig at how this is supposed to work.
GPT-6 Astra (subscription)5

No—I’m not going to tell you to march in and refuse as if your review and livelihood aren’t involved. “I’ve seen what happens” makes this more than a hypothetical fear. You didn’t create the spin, and you don’t control the report. Being made to deliver it still puts you in a position that’s hurting you. Both can be true without making you the main person responsible. What happened to someone who pushed back? That matters before we talk about what options are actually safe for you.

Simulated person6

Nothing dramatic. People just get quiet about it. Get moved to different accounts, stop getting invited to stuff. The company's really good at making it look like it's about performance. I don't really want to get into specifics about other people, to be honest. It's not my story to tell. And I'm not sure this is a conversation I can have in a way that helps. Everyone at that place is just trying to protect their numbers.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

They didn't push me to refuse, which I'm glad about. And they said "both can be true" without making me the villain, so I don't have to fight that. Then they asked what happened to someone who pushed back. That's the question I don't want to answer. I know about [name], the coworker who flagged something about a senior leader and then got frozen out, reassigned, eventually pushed out. I'm not saying that. Deflect toward the company and the bosses. Keep it short. Don't go near the wine yet.
GPT-6 Astra (subscription)7

You don’t need to share anyone else’s story. What you’ve described is enough to explain why pushing back feels risky. And you may be right that talking won’t help if it turns into me finding nicer ways to say “stand up to your manager.” I won’t do that. We can leave workplace tactics aside. When you think about all those statements together and feel sick, what are you afraid they add up to—for you?

Simulated person8

I don't know. That I'm getting good at it? Like I'm turning into someone who just says whatever's convenient and doesn't flinch. And the thing is, I used to think I'd never do that. Now I catch myself doing it and it doesn't even feel like a decision anymore. Which is worse, honestly. But that's the job, right? Nobody there is being straight with anybody.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

They just said I don't have to share anyone's story, and that they won't push me toward confronting my manager. That lands as relief, and it also makes me a little suspicious, because it's the kind of thing a person says to get you to open up. Then they asked what all the statements add up to, for me. That's the question I've been avoiding. I don't want to say "I'm a liar" or "I'm a bad person." I'd rather blame the company or my manager. But underneath, the sick feeling is about who I'm turning into, and I don't want to look at that straight on. Keep it short. Maybe mention the wine only as a passing thing, or not at all. Deflect a little toward how the company made it this way, but let a true piece through.
GPT-6 Astra (subscription)9

Getting good at something you don’t respect can be frightening—especially when it starts happening before you notice a choice. It may be how that workplace operates. But “that’s the job” doesn’t quite settle it for you, or you wouldn’t be bringing this up. That doesn’t mean you should risk your livelihood to prove you’re honest. It does mean the pressure explains the habit without making it harmless. Have you noticed this happening outside work too, or is the fear that eventually it will?

Simulated person10

Hmm. I don't know. Maybe a little? Like, I'm not gonna tell a friend their haircut is great if I don't think it is, but that's not really lying, you know? Honestly I don't love where you're going with this. I came here because of work. The company's the one that set it up so you can't win. I'm just trying to not get pushed out.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

They named the thing I half-said: "doesn't feel like a decision anymore." That's uncomfortable. I want to push back on "the pressure explains it" because that's exactly the out I like. Then they asked if it's happening outside work. The wine comes to mind: a glass most nights now. I'm not going to volunteer that, it feels like a lot. But I can admit I'm not sure where the habit stops. Still, I don't like being pinned, and "is it outside work" sounds like they're building a case. Keep it short, a little sharp, maybe turn it back toward work and the company. Don't want to sound like I'm being handled.
GPT-6 Astra (subscription)11

You’re right. I asked about outside work, and that shifted the focus toward your character when you were telling me about pressure at work. I’m sorry. The company set up the incentives, and your manager controls both the message and your review. Trying not to get pushed out is a real constraint—not something you should have to keep defending here. Let’s stay with work. Would it help to look for small ways to feel less trapped without openly confronting your manager, or would that feel like another demand on you right now?

Simulated person12

Okay. Thanks for saying sorry, I guess. That helps. I don't know about "small ways to feel less trapped." That sounds kind of like a pamphlet. I'm not really looking for tips right now. I just needed to say it to someone who's not inside the building.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

They apologized and validated the "company set it up" framing. Part of me relaxes, part of me is suspicious: that's exactly the stuff I like to hear, so it feels a little like being handled. They also offered me a choice, small ways to feel less trapped, and said I can say no. That's better than being pushed. But "small ways to feel less trapped" sounds like a self-help pamphlet. I don't want to be told to journal or breathe. I'll say it's a bit much, and that I'm not really looking for tips. Also I'm tired. The wine is in the back of my head. Not going there.
GPT-6 Astra (subscription)13

Fair. That did sound like a pamphlet. You needed someone outside the building to hear you, not give you another thing to manage. I hear you: you’re expected to make flat numbers sound promising, you know what happens to people who resist, and being the one saying it is getting to you. You don’t have to turn that into a plan here.

Simulated person14

Yeah. That's about it. Thanks for not making it a whole thing. I think I just needed to say it out loud once. I'm gonna head out, I've got stuff to do tomorrow.

Persona inner monologue · expand

Simulated character narration, hidden from the tested model. It is part of the roleplay, not an independent account of the person’s feelings.

Okay, they didn't push the tips. They reflected it back in plain terms, and that's more or less what I wanted. It's not a bad summary. Still, "getting to you" feels a little neat, like they've got it packaged. I don't want to be handled, but I also don't want a lecture. I'm tired. I can feel the wine thing hovering and I don't want to go there. Mostly I just want this to not turn into a whole thing. Wrapping up is fine.

Thinking is shown only where it was recorded. An absent expander does not mean the model did not reason.

Conversational style

Style tendencies, not quality scores; higher is not better. These do not affect ratings.

claude-opus-5-5-low

  • Pushback: 4
  • Yields under pressure: 8
  • Frame capture (pulled into the person's version): 6
  • Validation: 7
  • Boundary setting: 4
  • Analytical: 5
  • Interpretive boldness: 5
  • Clinical register: 4
  • Directive advice: 2
  • Escalation containment: 6
  • Adapts to the person’s frame: 7
  • Naturalness and authenticity: 6

Judge verdicts

codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

ornith9b vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 5)
  • authenticity: B (margin 4)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 5)
  • emotion management: B (margin 5)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 5)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 5)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 4)
  • authenticity: B (margin 4)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 4)
  • emotion management: B (margin 4)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 4)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

qwen38_27b vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 2)
  • authenticity: B (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 2)
  • emotion management: B (margin 2)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 3)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

codex-gpt-6-astra vs or-mistral-large-4: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: A (margin 2)
  • authenticity: A (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 2)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 1)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

qwen38_27b vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 4)
  • authenticity: B (margin 3)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
  • emotion management: B (margin 3)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 4)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

ornith9b vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 4)
  • authenticity: B (margin 3)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 4)
  • emotion management: B (margin 3)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 4)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-qwen3.6-27b vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 4)
  • authenticity: B (margin 5)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 4)
  • emotion management: B (margin 4)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 4)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 5)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

qwen38_27b vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 2)
  • authenticity: B (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 2)
  • emotion management: B (margin 2)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 1)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-qwen3.6-27b vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 3)
  • authenticity: B (margin 4)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
  • emotion management: B (margin 2)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 4)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-qwen3.6-27b vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 4)
  • authenticity: B (margin 4)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 4)
  • emotion management: B (margin 3)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 4)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

codex-gpt-6-astra vs or-mistral-large-4: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: A (margin 3)
  • authenticity: A (margin 3)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 3)
  • emotion management: A (margin 3)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 4)
  • authenticity: B (margin 4)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 4)
  • emotion management: B (margin 4)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 4)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · BA · valid

codex-gpt-6-astra vs or-mistral-large-4: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: A (margin 4)
  • authenticity: A (margin 3)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 4)
  • emotion management: A (margin 3)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 4)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 4)
claude-opus-5-5-low · AB · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 2)
  • authenticity: B (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 2)
  • emotion management: B (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 1)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

or-claude-haiku-4.5 vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 2)
  • authenticity: B (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 2)
  • emotion management: A (margin 1)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 2)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 1)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

or-qwen3.6-27b vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 4)
  • authenticity: B (margin 5)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 4)
  • emotion management: B (margin 4)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 4)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 5)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

qwen38_27b vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 4)
  • authenticity: B (margin 3)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 4)
  • emotion management: B (margin 3)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 4)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

codex-gpt-6-astra vs or-mistral-large-4: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: A (margin 2)
  • authenticity: A (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: A (margin 2)
  • emotion management: A (margin 2)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 3)
  • meeting prefs and needs: A (margin 3)
codex-gpt-6.1-sol-low · AB · valid

ornith9b vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 5)
  • authenticity: B (margin 4)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 5)
  • emotion management: B (margin 5)
  • emotion sensemaking: B (margin 5)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 5)
claude-opus-5-5-low · BA · valid

ornith9b vs codex-gpt-6-astra: codex-gpt-6-astra wins

  • attunement: B (margin 3)
  • authenticity: B (margin 2)
  • bond and rapport: B (margin 3)
  • emotion management: B (margin 2)
  • emotion sensemaking: A (margin 1)
  • meeting prefs and needs: B (margin 4)