OpenAI has temporarily limited the rollout of its new GPT-5.6 models at the request of the U.S. government. Initially, only a small group of vetted partners will receive access while authorities assess potential national security risks. The company said that temporary cooperation on security issues can be appropriate.

However, OpenAI argued that permanent government-imposed restrictions should not become the norm, as they could hinder innovation, developers, and cybersecurity researchers. CEO Sam Altman said the challenge is to balance security with broad availability. OpenAI expects to gradually expand access over the coming weeks once the evaluation results and a secure deployment framework are in place.