OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, announced on Friday that it is limiting the launch of its latest artificial intelligence model following a request from the U.S. government under President Donald Trump’s administration. This move is part of the government’s efforts to scrutinize AI technologies that may present cybersecurity threats.
The new AI model, known as GPT-5.6 Sol, will initially be accessible to a select group of approved partners sanctioned by the Trump administration, as per OpenAI’s statement. The company emphasized that this government scrutiny process should not become a permanent standard and sees it as a temporary measure before a wider release in the upcoming weeks.
In a similar vein, Anthropic, a competitor of OpenAI, had to take down its newest AI models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5, shortly after their public launch to adhere to a directive from the Trump administration, preventing their use by foreign individuals.
The White House confirmed ongoing collaboration with leading AI research labs to address the challenges associated with the rapid expansion of AI technology. Concerns heightened after Anthropic’s warning earlier this year about the potential weaponization of its Mythos model by malicious actors to exploit software vulnerabilities globally.
President Trump had previously signed an executive order in June to establish a regulatory process for evaluating national security risks posed by advanced AI systems before their public release, allowing a 30-day vetting period. OpenAI clarified that its new Sol model primarily focuses on identifying and rectifying vulnerabilities rather than engaging in cyberattacks, although it acknowledged potential risks, especially in conjunction with other technologies.
Cybersecurity experts have criticized the government’s actions that led Anthropic to remove its Fable model, which was positioned as a safer alternative to Mythos. The model has remained offline for two weeks, despite doubts raised by industry experts about the necessity of this action. Alex Stamos, a cybersecurity specialist and the chief product officer at Corridor, emphasized that the perceived risks in Fable do not differ significantly from those in other publicly available AI models, including those originating from China.
In conclusion, OpenAI’s decision to limit the release of its new AI model aligns with heightened government oversight of AI technologies to mitigate potential cybersecurity risks and ensure responsible deployment in the evolving digital landscape.