Trump Administration Asks OpenAI to Delay GPT-5.6 Release
The government's request to restrict GPT-5.6 to a 20-company preview, with case-by-case approval, signals a new regulatory template for frontier AI releases that goes beyond the voluntary testing framework established by the June 2026 executive order.
Reporting from 2 sources: ASCII.jp, GIGAZINE.
The Trump administration has requested that OpenAI delay the release of its next major model, GPT-5.6, due to national security concerns, according to multiple reports on June 25 and 26. News site The Information reported that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told employees the company will release GPT-5.6 in a "limited preview format," granting access only to a small group of corporate customers, with the government approving each recipient on a case-by-case basis. The number of recipients is expected to be limited to about 20 companies. No official announcement from OpenAI has been confirmed. The situation mirrors restrictions previously imposed on Anthropic's Claude Fable 5 and Claude Mythos 5, which faced severe measures including access suspension affecting even foreign employees. According to Axios, OpenAI had been consulting with the administration before Anthropic was asked to suspend those models. In June 2026, President Trump signed an executive order directing agencies to establish voluntary testing procedures before AI companies release new models. Altman reportedly intends to release GPT-5.6 within a few weeks, while the company is also considering postponing its initial public offering plans to 2027.
The Information broke the story that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told employees about the limited preview format, with the government approving each recipient on a case-by-case basis. Axios reported that OpenAI had been actively consulting with the administration even before Anthropic was asked to suspend Fable and Mythos. The restrictions on Anthropic's models were severe enough to affect access for foreign employees, according to ASCII.jp. President Trump's June 2026 executive order directed multiple government agencies to establish a means for voluntary testing before AI companies release new models, but the GPT-5.6 request goes further by requiring government sign-off on each customer. Altman reportedly intends to release GPT-5.6 within a few weeks, while the company is also considering postponing its initial public offering plans to 2027, per The Information. No official announcement from OpenAI has been confirmed at this time.
Synthesized by Yomimono from the 2 cited sources below, including Japanese-language reporting where cited, then editorially reviewed before publishing.
Sources
- ASCII.jp OpenAI「GPT-5.6」は限定公開か Mythos騒動再び？
- GIGAZINE トランプ政権がOpenAIに「GPT-5.6」のリリースを遅らせるよう要請