White House asks OpenAI to delay GPT-5.6 release over safety concerns

The Trump administration — via the Treasury, Commerce Department, and other agencies — has asked OpenAI to restrict the rollout of GPT-5.6 to a vetted group of partners rather than releasing it publicly, citing safety concerns. It is an unusual case of a US government actively pressing the brakes on a commercial AI release, and signals the administration is taking a hands-on role in shaping what gets deployed and to whom. OpenAI plans to comply with a limited distribution.