AI company Anthropic announced on Friday that it has temporarily halted the use of its newest AI models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5, following a directive from the Trump administration aimed at preventing their utilization by foreign individuals. This move by the U.S. government represents a significant measure to limit access to cutting-edge AI models. While the company made Fable publicly available this week, access to the more advanced Mythos model has been restricted due to cybersecurity concerns.
Anthropic expressed disagreement with the government’s actions, stating that the directive received lacked specific national security justifications. The company emphasized the importance of a transparent and technically grounded process for regulating potentially unsafe AI deployments.
Describing the situation as a “misunderstanding,” Anthropic expressed the hope of restoring access to the models promptly. The Commerce Department did not provide an immediate comment on the matter.
This development comes on the heels of President Trump’s recent executive order, which established a framework for assessing national security risks associated with advanced AI systems before their public release, with developer participation being voluntary. Anthropic had previously highlighted the potential risks posed by Mythos, particularly in terms of software vulnerabilities that could have significant implications for economies, public safety, and national security if exploited improperly.
Bank of Canada governor Tiff Macklem has acknowledged the discussions surrounding Mythos and emphasized the ongoing need for proactive planning by firms, regulators, and policymakers to effectively manage the challenges posed by rapidly advancing AI technologies. Macklem stressed the critical importance of robust cybersecurity measures to safeguard against potential vulnerabilities exposed by new AI models like Mythos.
