US Asks OpenAI to Stagger GPT 5.6 Release Over Security

The Trump administration asked OpenAI to stagger the release of its next model, GPT 5.6, The Information reported Thursday, citing a memo the company sent to staff.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman told employees during a Q&A session that the model would arrive in a limited preview to a small group of partners, the report said. Altman said the government would be “approving access customer by customer during this preview period” for GPT 5.6, according to The Information.

The request came from conversations with two agencies: the Office of the National Cyber Director and the Office of Science and Technology Policy, the report added.

The White House has grown more assertive on AI safety under the current administration. In May, Trump signed an executive order requiring pre-release review of advanced AI models. That order gave the Commerce Department the authority to review and potentially block launches that could pose national security risks.

OpenAI’s decision to comply with a staggered rollout signals that the company is willing to cooperate with federal oversight, at least for now. The preview period allows the government to vet specific customer uses before broader access.

Altman did not give a timeline for when the full release would occur, according to the memo cited by The Information.

The move comes as OpenAI faces growing competition from other AI labs and increasing regulatory attention worldwide. A limited launch lets the company demonstrate safety compliance without fully halting product momentum.