OpenAI to Delay GPT-5.6 Release After Trump Administration Request

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman revealed during a company Q&A session on Wednesday that the company will delay the release of its next major AI model, GPT-5.6, following a request from the Trump administration. According to The Information, Altman said the model will initially be released in a limited preview form, granting access only to a small group of enterprise customers. During this preview period, the Trump administration itself would reportedly approve customer access on a case-by-case basis.

The deal appears more favorable than the treatment received by OpenAI's rival Anthropic. Earlier this month, Anthropic was given an ultimatum to suspend access to its Mythos 5 and Fable 5 models. The administration issued an export control directive prohibiting "foreign nationals" from accessing the technology, including Anthropic's own employees who are not US citizens.

The seemingly heavy-handed approach to AI regulation has raised alarm across the tech industry, especially after the Trump administration had previously promised a "speed wins" approach and encouraged an American AI exports program. The uneven application of regulations, depending on the company, has sparked concerns about the future of AI development and export policies.