OpenAI has to initially limit access to its latest AI model, GPT-5.6, to a small group of partners at the U.S. government's request.
CEO Sam Altman announced this during an internal Q&A session on Wednesday, according to a report by The Information. The U.S. federal government had "asked" OpenAI to do so. The request likely stems from the Trump administration's recently published executive order, which calls for a voluntary review of new AI models, especially around cybersecurity.
The OpenAI case now shows just how voluntary that review really is. In the memo, Altman explained that the government would approve access "on a customer by customer basis" during the preview phase. He hopes for a broader release a "couple of weeks later," assuming everything goes smoothly.
According to The Information, the push for a phased release came out of talks with two government agencies, the Office of the National Cyber Director and the Office of Science and Technology Policy.
"We’ve made clear to the U.S. government that this is not our preferred long term model, and will work with them and others in industry to achieve a more sustainable approach for future releases," Altman wrote in the memo.
