OpenAI AI hits 98% on tests migrating COBOL software
OpenAI says its newest models preserve behaviour far better when rewriting COBOL into languages such as Java and Python, while academics warn that full system replacement remains distant.
OpenAI said its latest models show substantial improvements at migrating older software, including COBOL, into modern languages without changing what the software does.
In company tests, GPT-6.1 Sol reached 87% behaviour preservation at low reasoning effort and 98% at higher effort, far above earlier GPT-5.6 Sol results.
IBM figures cited in coverage put COBOL behind more than 40% of online banking, 80% of in-person card payments and 95% of ATM transactions.
Anthropic in February pitched Claude Code for COBOL modernisation and said the economics had shifted, without publishing comparable migration benchmarks.
Software evolution researchers said AI is still not playing a major role in replacing complex legacy COBOL systems.