Anthropic Suspends Access to Most Powerful AI on U.S. Government Order; Amazon Influenced Decision, WSJ Reports

Artificial intelligence firm Anthropic has suspended access to the most potent versions of its AI technology in compliance with a U.S. government order. The directive, invoking national security concerns, led to the immediate halt of its new Mythos 5 and Fable 5 models, which were made public just days earlier.

The U.S. government, under the Trump administration, mandated the restriction on these models, affecting all foreign citizens both within and outside the United States, including foreign employees of Anthropic. The company explained that the inability to effectively filter its user base necessitated the abrupt deactivation of both models for all customers. The European Union, which had recently gained access to Mythos, highlighted the situation as further evidence of Europe's need for technological sovereignty.

According to Axios, the order originated from Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, reportedly after the government learned that a company had bypassed safeguards designed for these models. These AI systems are known for their advanced ability to detect and exploit cybersecurity flaws with unprecedented speed and accuracy. The Department of Commerce had not immediately responded to requests for comment.

Anthropic expressed disagreement with the decision, characterizing it as stemming from a "misunderstanding." The company argued that identifying a potential, albeit limited, vulnerability should not warrant the withdrawal of commercial models used by hundreds of millions. Anthropic warned that applying such a standard across the industry could paralyze the deployment of cutting-edge AI models. While Mythos and Fable 5 are temporarily offline, other Anthropic models remain operational as the company works to restore access.

The Wall Street Journal reported that Amazon played a role in influencing the Trump administration's decision to restrict Anthropic's AI models. This development underscores the complex geopolitical and commercial dynamics surrounding advanced AI technologies.