The Trump administration is dictating terms: the release of GPT-5.6 will be phased with strict access control.
OpenAI is transitioning to a new model of interaction with the government. The release of the flagship language model GPT-5.6 will not follow the usual "release and forget" scenario, but will be strictly phased, with direct involvement of U.S. federal authorities. This is a direct consequence of the national cybersecurity policy that the Donald Trump administration began implementing in early June.
Now, every corporate client wishing to gain early access to GPT-5.6 must undergo an individual approval procedure from relevant agencies. This is not just a formal check, but a full-fledged federal verification mechanism that will regulate the circle of individuals allowed to test the model in its early stages.
How It Will Work
The new order is based on Executive Order No. 14409, signed on June 2. The document requires developers to provide the government with access to the most powerful models 30 days before their public release. Government officials will now not just be observers, but active participants in selecting trusted partners for preview access.
The National Security Agency (NSA) will organize a closed expert review to classify AI systems. The key focus is identifying hidden hacking capabilities of the algorithm. Simultaneously, the Treasury Department is creating a specialized center for software protection.
Precedents and Prospects
OpenAI already has experience with phased launches. Recall the nine-month delay of the final version of GPT-2 in 2019, the priority launch of GPT-5.5 for paid subscribers on April 23, and the limited access to the specialized cyber version of GPT-5.5. This accumulated experience of interacting with trusted IT specialists will now become the foundation for a large-scale partnership with Washington in testing GPT-5.6.
It is important to emphasize: the current format of interaction remains voluntary. State licensing of technologies is not yet envisioned. Officials justify the strict measures solely by protecting digital infrastructure. However, former government advisors consider such concerns excessive.
OpenAI officially does not comment on the release schedule for GPT-5.6, although experts predict a release closer to July. Current agreements with the White House will determine future standards of operation not only for OpenAI but also for Anthropic, which has already suspended access to its Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models due to similar requirements.
Expert Opinion: The phased release is not just a bureaucratic procedure, but a signal that the AI market is entering an era of government regulation. For the crypto industry, where many projects are actively integrating AI solutions, this means the emergence of new barriers to accessing cutting-edge technologies. Market participants should prepare for the fact that access to the most powerful models will become increasingly privileged and controlled.