Amazon Influenced U.S. Decision to Restrict Anthropic AI Use, WSJ Reports

Amazon played a role in the Trump administration's decision to restrict the use of artificial intelligence models developed by Anthropic, The Wall Street Journal reported on Saturday, citing sources familiar with the matter. Amazon CEO Andy Jassy reportedly held discussions with U.S. officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

During these consultations, Jassy expressed concerns that Anthropic's Fable 5 model could provide information usable for cyberattacks, suggesting it "should be prohibited in theory." Shortly after these conversations, White House officials convened and concluded that the most appropriate measure was to prevent foreign governments, companies, and individuals from accessing Anthropic's AI. This decision was subsequently approved by then-President Trump.

In response to this directive, Anthropic announced it would suspend public access to its most advanced AI models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5. The AI company stated that the order to restrict access outside the United States or by foreigners within the country was received on Friday afternoon.

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Fable 5 could provide information that could be used to facilitate cyberattacks and that 'in theory, should be prohibited.'

Amazon has made substantial investments in Anthropic. In April, the company announced an additional investment of at least $5 billion, part of an AI agreement that also requires Anthropic to spend $100 billion on Amazon Web Services over the next decade. An Amazon spokesperson told the WSJ that it is common for governments to seek their advice on potential security risks, given their position as a leading cloud service provider for numerous public and private sector clients.

This situation follows a lawsuit filed by Anthropic against the Trump administration in March. Anthropic sued after being designated a national security risk in the supply chain, following the administration's refusal to provide its AI models to the Department of War for any legal use. The dispute between Anthropic and the Pentagon, which resulted in a ban on federal contracts with the company, centered on Anthropic's conditions for limiting the use of its technology and seeking assurances that it would not be used for spying on Americans or for autonomous weapons.

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As a leading cloud services provider serving a large number of public and private sector customers, it is common for governments to seek our advice on potential security risks.