OpenAI opens GPT-5.6 access and introduces ChatGPT Work
OpenAI is widening GPT-5.6 access after a limited preview and launching ChatGPT Work, an agent for documents, spreadsheets and other work tasks.
By Maya Lindqvist · Senior Technology Correspondent
2 min read
OpenAI has begun a broader release of GPT-5.6 after the Trump administration cleared the model for public rollout, The Verge reported. The move ends a limited preview period in which access had been restricted to government-approved organizations, according to The Verge.
OpenAI also announced ChatGPT Work, an AI agent the company says combines ChatGPT with Codex. OpenAI said the product is meant to bring Codex-style capabilities to nontechnical users for tasks that are not limited to software development.
According to OpenAI, ChatGPT Work is powered by the GPT-5.6 model family, which includes Sol, Terra and Luna. In a blog post, the company said the agent can use context from apps, files and workflows that users select, then create finished materials such as documents, spreadsheets, presentations and web apps.
OpenAI said ChatGPT Work can connect to outside tools through a unified plugins directory. The company listed Slack, Gmail, Google Drive, calendars and customer relationship management tools among the services the system can link with.
Who gets access first
OpenAI said Mac and Windows users worldwide, including people on free ChatGPT accounts, should have immediate access to GPT-5.6 and ChatGPT Work through the ChatGPT desktop app. On mobile and the web, the company said Pro, Enterprise and Edu users are first in line.
Plus and Business users will get access over the next few days, OpenAI said. The company said the global rollout has started and will continue in stages toward full availability over 24 hours.
The launch comes as OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Apple are trying to make AI agents more useful for everyday users, The Verge reported. The push follows interest in OpenClaw, an open-source AI agent that went viral, according to The Verge.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT Work competes directly with Anthropic’s Claude Cowork, The Verge reported. Claude Cowork combines Claude with Claude Code, according to The Verge.
OpenAI emphasizes Sol
OpenAI is positioning Sol as the strongest model in the GPT-5.6 lineup, according to The Verge. The company is promoting it for intelligence and efficiency, with particular focus on coding, cybersecurity, science and computer-use capabilities.
OpenAI is also marketing GPT-5.6 as a lower-cost option than rival frontier models, The Verge reported. That pitch arrives amid broader complaints about AI industry costs and the expense of AI labs being passed on to customers, according to The Verge.
This story draws on original reporting from The Verge.