OpenAI has officially launched its new GPT-5.6 model suite alongside a brand-new productivity tool, ChatGPT Work, following a brief period of regulatory uncertainty. The public rollout comes approximately two weeks after the model was restricted to government-approved organizations during a limited preview phase, now cleared for wider release by the Trump administration. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman described the release as "the best model we have ever produced."
A central feature of this release is ChatGPT Work, an AI agent designed to bring the capabilities of OpenAI’s Codex—previously specialized for coding—to everyday, non-technical users. Powered by the new GPT-5.6 models (named Sol, Terra, and Luna), ChatGPT Work can access context from user-selected applications, files, and workflows. This allows it to generate complete assets such as spreadsheets, documents, presentations, and even basic web applications. To facilitate integration, OpenAI has introduced a unified plugins directory, enabling connections with popular tools like Slack, Gmail, Google Drive, and various CRMs.
The distribution of these new tools is structured across different platforms and user tiers. Mac and Windows users can access GPT-5.6 and ChatGPT Work immediately through the ChatGPT desktop application, regardless of whether they are on a free or paid plan. For web and mobile platforms, immediate access is restricted to Pro, Enterprise, and Education users, while Plus and Business subscribers will receive the updates over the coming days. The global rollout is expected to achieve full availability within 24 hours.
This launch intensifies the competitive race to deliver practical AI agents to mainstream consumers, a market where companies like Anthropic, Google, and Apple are actively competing. OpenAI's ChatGPT Work directly challenges Anthropic’s Claude Cowork, which integrates Claude with Claude Code.
To gain a competitive edge, OpenAI is heavily relying on Sol, the most powerful model in the GPT-5.6 suite. Sol is optimized for advanced tasks including programming, cybersecurity, scientific research, and direct computer control. Additionally, OpenAI is positioning the model as a cost-effective alternative to competitors' flagship models, addressing growing industry concerns regarding the high operational costs of AI development and the subsequent financial burden passed on to consumers.