Trump administration reportedly asks OpenAI to stagger GPT-5.6 rollout
What's the story
The US government has reportedly asked OpenAI to delay the launch of its upcoming AI model, GPT-5.6. According to Bloomberg, the Trump administration wants the company to stagger its rollout instead of releasing it all at once. The request comes just weeks after rival AI firm Anthropic suspended access to its advanced models under regulatory pressure from Washington.
Internal communication
GPT-5.6 to be rolled out to select partners first
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has addressed the concerns of his employees regarding the US government's request. He said that the government wants GPT-5.6 to be released first to a select group of trusted partners before making it publicly available. The report also quoted Altman as saying that the government is increasingly worried about what advanced AI models can do.
Compliance
Work with Trump administration on safety measures
Altman also told his staff that OpenAI should work with the Trump administration on any feedback related to safety measures and restrictions for future AI models. This is even if they disagree with some of those suggestions. The request comes after Anthropic restricted global access to its advanced models, Mythos 5 and Fable 5, on a US government order citing national security concerns.
Unauthorized access
Anthropic accused China of distilling Claude
In a recent letter to US Senators Tim Scott and Elizabeth Warren, Anthropic accused China of distillation. The company alleged that Chinese tech giant Alibaba Group led a large-scale operation to gain unauthorized access to its Claude AI model using thousands of fake accounts. The campaign reportedly ran from April 22 to June 5, involving nearly 25,000 fake accounts generating over 28.8 million interactions with Claude.