OpenAI will delay GPT-5.6 after Trump administration request
OpenAI has agreed to delay the release of GPT-5.6 following a request from the Trump administration, according to a report. The delay is intended to allow for additional review of the AI model's capabilities and potential risks before it is made publicly available.
Background
- OpenAI's GPT models power ChatGPT and are the most widely used AI language models. Each numbered version (GPT-3, GPT-4) brought major capability leaps.
- "GPT-5.6" is an intermediate version — a major update short of a full next-gen release.
- The Trump administration (second term, starting Jan 2025) has tightened AI regulation: new chip export controls and an executive order requiring safety testing before releasing powerful models.
- The "request" to delay means OpenAI agreed to hold the release, likely for national security review or to align with US export policy — a sign frontier AI releases are now subject to government oversight, not just company timelines.