OpenAI to Launch ChatGPT 5.6 on Thursday After U.S. Security Delay
OpenAI will release an updated version of ChatGPT 5.6 on Thursday after the launch was initially postponed due to national security concerns.
The delay highlights a growing effort by the White House to control the rollout of advanced artificial intelligence. According to Reuters, Washington fears these cutting-edge technologies could be exploited by military and intelligence agencies in China, Russia and other nations.
This heightened government scrutiny follows an executive order signed by President Donald Trump that introduced a voluntary vetting procedure for tech firms. The directive requires developers to present their frontier models to the U.S. government up to 30 days before transferring them to trusted partners. To navigate these measures, OpenAI previously restricted access to a small group of verified partners and provided their details to federal authorities.
The industry-wide push for AI regulation has already affected other major developers. American officials recently delayed the release of Anthropic’s newest models for three weeks over identical national security risks.
Despite the regulatory hurdles, OpenAI confirmed on the social media platform X that it will launch three distinct variants of the new system. The GPT-5.6 release features Sol, which the firm describes as its most advanced model to date. It will be accompanied by Terra, a mid-tier option with lower usage costs, alongside the highly economical Luna variant.
