After Trump Administration Approval, OpenAI GPT-5.6 Three Versions to Launch Globally on July 9

OpenAI will open GPT-5.6's three versions—Sol, Terra, and Luna—to global users on July 9, 2026, after the models were previously restricted to government-approved entities under the Trump administration's requirements.

Fact Restoration

In early June 2026, Trump signed an AI cybersecurity executive order requiring companies to voluntarily submit their strongest models to the government for review 30 days before public release. Accordingly, OpenAI only opened GPT-5.6 to a few trusted partners at the end of June, with Sol being the strongest version, Terra offering performance close to GPT-5.5 but at half the cost, and Luna being the lowest-cost version. On July 8, Axios reported that after additional testing by the Commerce Department's AI Standards and Innovation Center, the government lifted broader restrictions.

Mechanism Breakdown

The executive order required companies to send technical experts to Washington to answer potential questions on-site. To comply, OpenAI shortened the originally planned 30-day review cycle, and the Commerce Department completed the assessment through multiple meetings and targeted tests. OpenAI publicly stated that this government access process should not become the default long-term model, but short-term cooperation is the best way to ensure prompt public release.

Industry Impact

Developers can access different versions at prices: Sol at $5 per million input tokens and $30 per million output tokens; Terra at $2.5 input and $15 output; Luna at $1 input and $6 output. Enterprise users can obtain performance close to previous-generation models at lower cost, with the Terra version especially suitable for routine tasks. Competitor Anthropic's Mythos and Fable series also underwent a similar process of initial restriction followed by release, demonstrating the synchronized effect of regulation on multiple companies.

Comparison and Precedents

Compared with the Anthropic case, OpenAI also first restricted access for foreign nationals before being allowed to redeploy broader versions. Both companies obtained expanded permissions after additional government testing, indicating that under the current regulatory framework, additional testing and on-site communication have become standard procedures.

Strategic Assessment

Next, it is most likely that other leading labs will submit models for similar review. The verification signal will be whether subsequent models also receive approval for expanded release within 30 days.