The Trump administration has reportedly asked OpenAI to limit the distribution of its forthcoming model, GPT-5.6, to a select group of government-approved partners, citing potential security risks.
The request from White House’s Office of the National Cyber Director and Office of Science and Technology Policy comes as the administration is in the process of creating a framework for testing and evaluating the security of new models, The Information reported on Thursday. The report also indicated that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman confirmed the plans for a limited rollout in a memo to staff.
In the memo, Altman said that they had made it clear to the U.S. government that this was not their preferred long-term model and that they would work with the government and others in the industry to achieve a more sustainable approach for future releases.
Another report by Axios indicated that Altman spoke with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick about GPT-5.6 on Wednesday.
The publication reported that the government’s intervention was driven by GPT-5.6’s “Mythos-like” capabilities, rather than any broader shift toward increased government oversight. A source said the administration is focused on ensuring companies implement adequate safeguards for highly advanced AI models of that caliber.
OpenAI and the White House did not immediately respond to Benzinga‘s request for comments.
Trump’s AI Crackdown Expands
The move follows growing concerns about advanced AI misuse and the Trump administration’s clash with Anthropic, which disabled access to its Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models after being directed to block foreign nationals from using them earlier this month.
Later, President Donald Trump said he initially viewed Anthropic as a potential national security risk but now believes the AI startup acted responsibly after complying with a U.S. directive to restrict access to its most advanced AI models.
White House AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks said the administration became increasingly concerned that Anthropic’s AI models could be exploited as cyberweapons following reported jailbreak vulnerabilities in its “Fable” model. He said officials viewed the systems as potentially dual-use because of their advanced cyber capabilities, intensifying scrutiny of the company’s AI rollout.
Meanwhile, OpenAI is reportedly considering delaying its IPO until next year as advisers recommend waiting for more stable market conditions. The company had been preparing for a late-2026 listing and confidentially filed draft registration documents with the SEC earlier this month while CEO Sam Altman pursued a $1 trillion valuation.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Image via Shutterstock
Recent Comments