OpenAI’s next-generation AI model, GPT-5.6, may not be available to everyone immediately after launch.
The U.S. government has reportedly asked the ChatGPT maker to restrict access to its upcoming flagship model to a small group of government-approved partners, citing concerns over the system’s advanced capabilities and potential national security risks.
The request marks one of the clearest signs yet that Washington wants a greater role in how the world’s most powerful AI models are released.
According to CNN, which cited a source familiar with the matter, OpenAI has agreed to the request and will begin with a limited rollout before making GPT-5.6 more widely available.
The report comes just weeks after Anthropic was forced to withdraw public access to its most advanced AI models, Mythos and Fable, following export restrictions imposed by the Trump administration over concerns about their cybersecurity capabilities. Officials reportedly view GPT-5.6 as operating at a similar level of capability.
Sam Altman says the arrangement is only temporary
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reportedly informed employees that access to GPT-5.6 will initially be approved “customer by customer”. At the same time, the company works with the U.S. government on a broader framework for the release of frontier AI systems.
Although OpenAI has agreed to cooperate, Altman reportedly made it clear internally that the company does not see the current arrangement as a sustainable long-term solution.
“We’ve made clear to the U.S. government that this is not our preferred long-term model, and will work with them and others in industry to achieve a more sustainable approach for future releases,” Altman said in an internal memo cited by multiple reports.
Why Washington is paying closer attention to AI
The move reflects growing concern among U.S. officials over the rapid advancement of artificial intelligence, particularly models with sophisticated cybersecurity, coding and reasoning capabilities.
Earlier this month, President Donald Trump signed an executive order encouraging developers of advanced AI systems to voluntarily submit frontier models for government review before wider public release. However, industry observers note that the administration has yet to establish a clear regulatory framework explaining how that review process will work.
The lack of a unified process has also created uncertainty within the AI industry.
While the White House reportedly requested OpenAI, Anthropic’s restrictions came through the U.S. Commerce Department, prompting questions about which federal agencies will ultimately oversee advanced AI development.
Experts call for clearer AI regulations
The latest development has reignited debate over how governments should regulate increasingly powerful AI systems without slowing innovation.
Brad Carson, president of the bipartisan AI safety organization Public First, told CNN that governments have a legitimate role in intervening when technologies pose significant risks, but argued that the process must be transparent and consistent.
According to Carson, the current approach appears fragmented and lacks the regulatory clarity needed for both AI developers and the public.
A turning point for frontier AI
The decision to limit GPT-5.6’s initial release highlights a broader shift in how governments are approaching artificial intelligence.
Rather than allowing technology companies to independently decide when and how their most advanced models reach the public, regulators are beginning to play a more direct role in determining access to frontier AI systems.
Whether this customer-by-customer approval process becomes the standard for future AI releases remains uncertain. Still, the GPT-5.6 rollout could set an important precedent for how powerful artificial intelligence is governed in the years ahead.
