OpenAI Unveils GPT-5.6 Amidst U.S. Government Restrictions
OpenAI has recently launched its latest artificial intelligence models — GPT-5.6 Sol, Terra, and Luna. However, in a first-of-its-kind move, the Trump administration has limited the initial rollout to a select group of approximately 20 government-approved partners. This unprecedented action marks the first instance of a U.S. AI company releasing a cutting-edge model under a government-managed access list, surpassing the voluntary pre-release review framework established by Trump’s AI executive order signed on June 2.
The flagship model, Sol, is touted by OpenAI as their most powerful yet, with significant enhancements in coding, biology, and cybersecurity. It introduces a new “max” reasoning effort mode and an “ultra” mode that employs coordinated subagents to handle highly complex tasks. The lineup is tiered: Terra is crafted for balanced, everyday use, while Luna is fine-tuned for speed and cost-efficiency. Pricing varies from $1 input / $6 output per million tokens for Luna, scaling up to $5 input / $30 output for Sol.
OpenAI has confirmed that it previewed the models with U.S. officials before the launch and is working together to establish “a repeatable process for future model releases.” The company also expressed its viewpoint, stating, “We don’t believe this kind of government access process should become the long-term default.” A wider public release via ChatGPT, Codex, and the API is anticipated in the upcoming weeks.
Source: TechCrunch – OpenAI restricts GPT-5.6 rollout following government request