The five operational states
| State | Evidence threshold | Permitted buyer action |
|---|---|---|
| Announced | Official provider statement names the capability or planned product. | Monitor, prepare questions and avoid availability claims. |
| Preview | Official catalog offers access under preview terms or labels. | Run a bounded non-production test after reviewing preview limits. |
| Restricted | Official source requires eligibility, approval, named users or program access. | Verify authority and access conditions before any pilot. |
| Generally available | Official current catalog provides a production route and identifier. | Begin procurement and workflow validation; do not infer fitness. |
| Deprecated | Official lifecycle or deprecation notice gives a replacement or retirement path. | Freeze the baseline, migrate, regression-test and preserve rollback. |
Dated examples, not permanent labels
| Example checked September 3, 2026 | State | What the source supports |
|---|---|---|
| Gemini 3.8 Flash | Generally available | Google lists a current model and migration path. |
| Gemini 3.8 Flash Cyber | Restricted | Google describes Fairwind Program access for trusted defenders. |
| Claude Fable 5.1 | Generally available | Anthropic documents current API and marketplace model IDs. |
| OpenAI Astra | Announced / pre-release | OpenAI published evaluation information and said availability was planned soon; price and production terms remained Unknown in this check. |
Recheck the official catalog before repeating any label. A route can move from preview to GA, add a region, change an alias or enter retirement after this page is published.
Terms that are not synonyms
- Released should name the product surface and date, not merely a research result.
- Available should name the account, region and access condition.
- GA does not mean approved for confidential legal work.
- Preview does not mean unsafe; it means the buyer must review the preview boundary.
- Restricted describes access, not benchmark rank.
- Latest is a moving alias unless the provider documents a stable identifier.
Minimum release-status record
- Provider, product surface and exact model ID.
- Status term used by the official source.
- Source URL and checked date.
- Account, program, region and eligibility.
- Contract, price and retention documents for that route.
- Lifecycle, replacement and review date.
- Workflow decision: monitor, test, approve, restrict, migrate or reject.
Status is not approval
A GA model can fail a firm’s source, confidentiality, tool-authority or economics test. A preview may be appropriate for a non-sensitive evaluation. The status determines the next evidence step; it does not supply the final legal or operational conclusion.
FAQ
What is the difference between preview and general availability?
Preview is offered under preview-specific availability or terms. General availability identifies a current production route. The buyer still must validate account, contract and workflow.
Does GA mean a model is safe for confidential legal work?
No. GA is a release state, not a confidentiality, accuracy or compliance finding.
What does restricted access mean?
Access depends on documented eligibility, approval, named users or program conditions. It does not describe the model’s performance.
Sources checked
- Gemini API model catalog, checked 2026-09-03.
- Gemini 3.8 and Cyber announcement, checked 2026-09-03.
- Fable 5.1 model overview, checked 2026-09-03.
- Path to Astra, checked 2026-09-03.
- OpenAI model catalog, checked 2026-09-03.
Operational information, not legal advice. Verify current terms, account configuration and applicable professional duties before use.