OpenAI will publicly release its GPT-5.6 artificial intelligence model on Thursday, following broad launch approval from the U.S. Department of Commerce. The rollout includes three model variants named Sol, Terra, and Luna.
The company expects a wide release during the week of July 7, marking a full public rollout after a June delay at the U.S. government's request. During that interim period, access was restricted to a limited group of vetted U.S. companies pending additional government safety testing.
The green light for OpenAI follows the U.S. government's decision last week to lift restrictions on the latest AI models from rival Anthropic, suggesting a broader shift in Washington's approach to regulating advanced model deployments.