OpenAI Set to Launch GPT-5.6 Globally as US Clears Wider Public Release

OpenAI has announced that its next-generation artificial intelligence models, the GPT-5.6 series, will be released to the public on Thursday, marking one of the company’s biggest AI rollouts yet after reportedly receiving approval from the US government for a broader launch.

The announcement comes weeks after OpenAI granted limited preview access to trusted US-based partners at the request of Washington, amid concerns that the powerful models could be misused to identify software vulnerabilities that cybercriminals might exploit.

The GPT-5.6 family introduces three new models designed for different users and workloads. GPT-5.6 Sol will serve as OpenAI’s flagship model, GPT-5.6 Terra is aimed at everyday tasks, while GPT-5.6 Luna offers a faster, lower-cost option for developers and businesses seeking more affordable AI capabilities.

Confirming the rollout in a post on X, OpenAI said: “GPT-5.6 Sol, along with Terra and Luna, will launch publicly this Thursday. We’re expanding preview access globally now.” The company did not provide additional details about the release schedule or regional availability.

The launch follows reports from Axios that the administration of US President Donald Trump approved a wider deployment of GPT-5.6 after technical evaluations and consultations between government officials and OpenAI. Neither OpenAI nor the White House has publicly confirmed the report.

OpenAI’s rollout comes as competition in the AI industry intensifies. Rival AI company Anthropic recently resumed broader access to its advanced Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models after US authorities lifted earlier restrictions on where the systems could be deployed. Meanwhile, the US government is developing a framework to determine which future AI models should be subject to national security reviews.

Despite cooperating with federal authorities during the review process, OpenAI has previously argued that government oversight should not become the standard approach for releasing advanced AI systems. The company said it is working with US officials to create a repeatable framework that balances national security concerns with public access to emerging AI technology.

OpenAI also plans to make GPT-5.6 more competitive on price. The company has said GPT-5.6 Terra will cost roughly half as much as GPT-5.5, a move aimed at attracting developers and enterprise customers as competition with Anthropic and Google accelerates. Both OpenAI and Anthropic are also reportedly preparing for public listings that could value each company at close to $1 trillion, underscoring the growing commercial significance of the global AI race.