OpenAI Launches GPT-5.6 Following Government Approval, Introduces ‘ChatGPT Work’

About two weeks after the regulatory drama surrounding GPT-5.6, which was initially available only to select government-approved organizations during a “limited preview,” the model has now received the go-ahead for a public launch. OpenAI’s CEO, Sam Altman, hailed it as “the best model we have ever produced.”

To mark this occasion, OpenAI introduced a new AI tool called ChatGPT Work. This innovative agent merges the capabilities of ChatGPT and Codex, enabling everyday users to leverage Codex’s features for tasks beyond coding. It operates on the GPT-5.6 model suite, which includes Sol, Terra, and Luna. According to OpenAI, ChatGPT Work can pull context from various apps, files, and workflows to generate finished products like documents, spreadsheets, presentations, and web applications. A “unified plugins directory” allows it to connect seamlessly with tools such as Slack, Gmail, Google Drive, calendars, and CRMs.

Users on Mac and Windows, including those on the free tier of ChatGPT, will have immediate access to ChatGPT Work and GPT-5.6 through the desktop app. Mobile and web users with Pro, Enterprise, and Edu accounts will be the first to gain access, while Plus and Business users can expect to join in “over the next few days.” The rollout is happening globally and will gradually expand to full availability within the next 24 hours.

Companies like OpenAI and Anthropic, along with tech giants such as Google and Apple, are competing to make AI agents genuinely useful for the average user, especially following the rise of the open-source AI agent OpenClaw. The results have varied, and the ideal AI assistant for everyday consumers is still a work in progress.

OpenAI aims for its new product to rival Anthropic’s Claude Cowork, which combines its own Claude and Claude Code. The company is particularly counting on Sol, the most advanced model in the GPT-5.6 suite, to establish “a new standard for intelligence and efficiency,” especially in areas like coding, cybersecurity, and scientific applications. Additionally, OpenAI is positioning this model as a more affordable option compared to the most powerful offerings from competitors, addressing concerns about rising costs in the AI industry.