OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, announced on Friday that it is limiting the launch of its new AI model following a request from the U.S. President Donald Trump’s administration. This move is part of an unprecedented government review of AI technologies that may present cybersecurity risks.
The new AI model, named GPT-5.6 Sol, will initially be accessible only to a select group of approved partners chosen by the Trump administration. OpenAI stated that it does not intend for this government-led access process to become the norm in the long term.
The company considers this restricted release as a temporary measure, with plans for broader availability in the upcoming weeks. This cautious approach mirrors the recent government actions taken against Anthropic, a competitor of OpenAI, known for its Claude chatbot.
Anthropic voluntarily took down its latest AI models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5, shortly after their public release to comply with a directive preventing their use by foreign individuals. The White House reaffirmed its collaboration with leading AI research labs to address the scaling challenges of this rapidly evolving technology.
The Trump administration’s executive order on AI oversight, signed earlier in June, mandates a 30-day national security risk assessment of advanced AI systems before their public release. OpenAI emphasized that its new Sol model is focused on identifying and addressing vulnerabilities rather than executing cyberattacks, ensuring it remains within the company’s risk tolerance. However, potential unforeseen risks, particularly when combined with other tools, prompted the company to implement stronger safeguards and a phased release strategy.
Cybersecurity experts have criticized the government’s actions that led to Anthropic’s shutdown of Fable, emphasizing that the perceived risks were unsubstantiated. Alex Stamos, a cybersecurity expert from Stanford University, condemned the move, stating that it could hinder the U.S.’s competitiveness against China in the AI race.
Overall, OpenAI’s decision to cautiously introduce its advanced AI model reflects a growing emphasis on national security considerations in the AI landscape.
