Scoop: Trump administration lifts restrictions on OpenAI's GPT 5.6

The Trump administration has lifted restrictions on OpenAI's GPT-5.6 model. The U.S. Department of Commerce approved a broad launch after additional testing by the Center for AI Standards and Innovation. OpenAI expects a wide release this week. The approval reverses earlier restrictions on the model.

The Center for AI Standards and Innovation, which evaluates AI systems, conducted the additional testing. The specific results of the testing were not disclosed. The Commerce Department did not provide details on the testing methodology. The decision allows OpenAI to deploy the model broadly. Prior restrictions had limited the model's availability.

The model, GPT-5.6, is OpenAI's latest frontier model. The company has been advocating for permission to release it. The administration's decision reflects a willingness to allow advanced AI deployment after safety evaluations. The Center for AI Standards and Innovation was established to perform such evaluations. This is its first major approval. OpenAI plans to launch the model this week. The exact timing of the release was not specified. The announcement did not include any conditions on the release. The lifting of restrictions marks a significant shift in AI policy under the Trump administration. The decision was based on the additional testing conducted by the AI standards center. The Commerce Department stated that the model meets the necessary standards for public use. The model's capabilities and features were not detailed in the announcement. OpenAI is expected to provide more information at launch. The approval is closely watched by industry and safety advocates.