OpenAI Requires Approval for Model Routing Platforms Under New Policy

TREE NEWS update: OpenAI updated its usage policies, effective November 20, 2026, requiring operators of model access intermediary platforms such as model routers and AI gateways to obtain prior approval from OpenAI. Integrating OpenAI models directly into applications for functionality remains exempt. The new policy also bans using OpenAI models or their outputs to prepare, curate or supply training data or signals for competing models, including building training tasks, reinforcement learning environments and scoring or ranking feedback, and prohibits extracting protected reasoning content via unauthorized access or reverse engineering.