OpenAI is set to roll out its GPT-5.6 AI model series on Thursday, weeks after postponing the launch in June as US officials reviewed potential security risks.
According to Axios, the White House has now cleared the launch following technical testing and discussions with OpenAI executives.
OpenAI describes its GPT-5.6 model as its strongest yet, with increased capabilities in cybersecurity, biology and autonomous, or agentic, AI tasks.
The delay came amid growing concern in Washington over increasingly powerful AI systems and their potential misuse.
In June, the White House ordered OpenAI rival Anthropic to suspend the use of its cutting-edge Fable and Mythos AI models over national security concerns. Restrictions on those systems were only eased last week.
US officials’ concerns are linked to advanced AI models’ ability to identify vulnerabilities in software code, which could be exploited by foreign militaries or intelligence services, including Russia and China.
When the White House requested a delay to OpenAI’s GPT-5.6 launch over similar concerns, the company agreed.
But in a statement, the company said it doesn’t believe “this kind of government access process should become the long-term default” since it “keeps the best tools” from users, businesses and others who need them.
