OpenAI has released its most advanced AI model, GPT-5.6, to the general public following approval from the Trump administration and the U.S. Department of Commerce. The wide release follows weeks of restrictions under a new government oversight regime for frontier AI.
The full public launch had been delayed last month at the request of the U.S. government due to cybersecurity concerns. During this period, OpenAI complied with the White House's request by limiting initial access to a small group of approximately 20 government-vetted partners. The wider release was granted after OpenAI briefed officials on the model's capabilities and the product underwent additional testing by the Center for AI Standards and Innovation agency.
The GPT-5.6 model family is available in three tiers. Sol is the flagship model, Terra is a lower-cost enterprise option, and Luna is the fastest and cheapest version.
This staggered release follows similar restrictions placed on OpenAI's chief rival, Anthropic. The firm recently restored access to its own latest models after a weeks-long clash with the government.