OpenAI agrees to stagger rollout of its most powerful model to only Trump-approved customers

OpenAI is staggering the rollout of its newest and most powerful AI model after a request from the Trump administration. To get access to the new model, customers must first be cleared by the U.S. government, the company said on Friday.

The model, called GPT-5.6 Sol, is the flagship in a new tier of more advanced models that includes a more efficient model called Terra and its cheaper cousin Luna. OpenAI says that Sol is its strongest model yet, able to complete 50% of long-running professional tasks and tops all previous OpenAI models on coding capabilities. OpenAI said it hopes to make all three generally available in the coming weeks.

The Information first reported that the Trump administration asked OpenAI to stagger release of the new model over security concerns.

The move represents a broader shift in how the U.S. government is approaching frontier AI. Advanced cyber capabilities displayed by Anthropic’s Mythos and OpenAI’s GPT-cyber have caused concern in Washington. By limiting access the government is attempting to ensure that those capabilities don’t end up in the hands of bad actors or hostile nation-states.

It is also the second time in a month that a ...