OpenAI GPT-5.6 Safety Review Draws Scrutiny Over Opaque US Vetting

As a leader in AI, OpenAI’s flagship GPT-5.6 model has implications for the global technology landscape, while its safety review could set a benchmark for government oversight. The episode highlights tensions between national security and technological innovation, particularly the effect of regulatory transparency on public trust. Amid intensifying technology competition, the boundaries of government scrutiny are under close watch, making the model’s pre-release vetting a focus for industry, government and academia worldwide.

The US Commerce Department completed a classified, 12-day safety review of GPT-5.6 on July 2, 2026. The complete lack of transparency around its criteria has prompted concerns about an opaque review process. Attention has also centered on $5 million in political donations made by OpenAI executives to political action committees linked to the Trump administration in the first quarter of 2026, raising suspicions that the contributions influenced the regulatory outcome. Congress opened an investigation on July 15.