- OpenAI has received US Commerce Department approval for a broad rollout of GPT-5.6.
- The approval follows weeks of government testing and reviews, post limited initial launch.
- OpenAI will release three new models, GPT-5.6 Sol, Terra, and Luna, with more features.
OpenAI is preparing a broader rollout of its GPT-5.6, after reportedly receiving approval from the US Department of Commerce following weeks of testing and discussions with federal officials.
The company confirmed on X that it will launch its advanced AI models on Thursday. The approval marks the end of a phased release that initially limited GPT-5.6 to a small group of government-approved organizations.
Commerce Department Completed Safety Review
The Commerce Department’s Center for AI Standards and Innovation conducted the technical evaluation of GPT-5.6 before authorizing a broader release.
OpenAI reportedly kept technical experts in Washington throughout the review process to answer questions and provide additional information requested by regulators. The approval followed further testing and meetings between company executives and government officials.
Last month, OpenAI delayed a full public launch after the Trump administration requested a staggered rollout. At the time, the company said restricting access was not its preferred approach but acknowledged that frontier AI models are increasingly being released under evolving government oversight.
The review process precedes the finalization of permanent federal standards for advanced AI systems. Those guidelines are expected to emerge under President Donald Trump’s executive order establishing a structured framework for frontier AI deployment.
The Commerce Department has already applied similar oversight to other leading AI developers. Anthropic previously faced similar restrictions on access to its advanced Mythos and Fable AI models before those limits were later relaxed.
Government and AI Firms Build Closer Ties
According to reports, OpenAI has discussed granting the US government a 5% equity stake as part of broader conversations aimed at reducing regulatory uncertainty and strengthening cooperation between Washington and leading AI developers.
Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman reportedly argued that public ownership could allow Americans to benefit directly from the economic value created by artificial intelligence while aligning OpenAI’s long-term interests more closely with the government.
GPT-5.6 Introduces Sol, Terra, and Luna Models
The GPT-5.6 family includes three models designed for different workloads. GPT-5.6 Sol serves as OpenAI’s flagship model, while Terra is positioned as a lower-cost option for everyday tasks, and Luna focuses on speed and affordability.
OpenAI said Sol includes its strongest safety protections so far after spending several weeks testing the model against real-world attacks and strengthening defenses for higher-risk requests, including cybersecurity and other sensitive use cases.
The company also introduced new reasoning capabilities designed to improve performance on complex coding, cybersecurity, and biology tasks while maintaining stronger safeguards against misuse.
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