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ChatGPT creator OpenAI has announced that its latest series of powerful artificial intelligence (AI) models will be released to the public on Thursday, following the US government’s reported approval of a broader launch.
OpenAI’s new GPT-5.6 offerings and other cutting-edge AI models, including Anthropic’s Mythos series, have raised concerns about their supposedly unprecedented ability to identify weaknesses in code that hackers can exploit.
This raised national security fears, and OpenAI said in late June it had shared preview access to GPT-5.6 with a limited group of trusted US-based partners at Washington’s request.
Large language models are the technology that underpins chatbots and many other AI tools, with their capacity to crunch through colossal amounts of digital data.
The GPT-5.6 series has three tiers: Sol, the company’s new flagship model; Terra, a mid-range version for everyday work; and Luna, a fast, low-cost option.
“GPT-5.6 Sol, along with Terra and Luna, will launch publicly this Thursday. We’re expanding preview access globally now,” OpenAI said in an X post Tuesday, without giving further details.
US news outlet Axios reported, citing a source familiar with the situation, that the Trump administration had given the company the green light for a broad launch of GPT-5.6, following technical testing and meetings between the company and government officials.
According to AFP, it has contacted OpenAI, the White House, and the US Department of Commerce for comment on the Axios report.
OpenAI’s move follows a similar decision by Anthropic, the company behind the Claude AI chatbot, which recently regained access to release its most advanced models after Washington lifted restrictions on their distribution.
The US government had earlier considered tighter controls on powerful AI systems as part of national security measures.
The administration is now developing guidelines to determine which AI models may face future restrictions.
OpenAI has previously opposed government-controlled access systems, saying such systems could limit users, businesses and researchers’ access to advanced AI tools.
The company said it is working with Washington to create a clearer framework for future AI model releases.
OpenAI also plans to make its upcoming Terra model more affordable, pricing it at half the cost of its previous GPT-5.5 model, as it competes with rivals such as Anthropic and Google in the growing AI market.
Both OpenAI and Anthropic have reportedly begun preparing for potential public listings, with investors valuing the companies at nearly $1 trillion, underscoring the intensifying competition in the global AI industry.
