GPT-5.5 Release from OpenAI

The next iteration of OpenAI’s AI model is available and it sounds like they are including some of the functionality of OpenClaw into it. This particular quote from their press release makes me think this is the case and the fruit of their partnering/hiring Peter Steinberger, inventor of the open-source project.

GPT‑5.5 understands what you’re trying to do faster and can carry more of the work itself. It excels at writing and debugging code, researching online, analyzing data, creating documents and spreadsheets, operating software, and moving across tools until a task is finished. Instead of carefully managing every step, you can give GPT‑5.5 a messy, multi-part task and trust it to plan, use tools, check its work, navigate through ambiguity, and keep going.

I also noticed new model choices that lets me choose between Instant and Thinking. What is interesting is I know for sure I chose Thinking on my last prompt, but on new prompts it defaults to Instant. Another example of deliberate throttling/resource rationing or an oversight?