Key facts
- Over 70 cybersecurity experts are protesting a U.S. government directive restricting access to Anthropic's Fable and Mythos AI models.
- Experts argue the ban hinders their ability to identify and fix software vulnerabilities, potentially aiding adversaries.
- Anthropic has suspended worldwide access to the models in response to the directive.
- The U.S. government cited national security concerns for the order.
- The directive restricts foreign nationals' use of the advanced AI models.
- President Donald Trump signed an executive order to vet national security risks of advanced AI systems.
A group of over 70 cybersecurity experts and executives are urging the Trump administration to lift its directive that prevents foreign nationals from using Anthropic's advanced AI models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5. The experts argue that the ban, implemented due to national security concerns, could inadvertently aid U.S. adversaries by hindering the discovery and exploitation of software vulnerabilities.
Anthropic has complied with the directive by taking the models offline, though the company stated it did not believe the government's concerns were warranted. The AI giant previously limited access to Mythos, which is capable of identifying and exploiting computer vulnerabilities, to select customers. The open letter, signed by leaders from companies like Adobe and Nvidia, contends that the models are not uniquely capable of these tasks and that other foundation and open-source models are regularly used for security audits.
The letter also highlights that China's AI models are rapidly advancing and may soon rival U.S. capabilities, suggesting that restricting access to advanced U.S. models could be counterproductive. The U.S. government's directive represents a significant step in restricting access to cutting-edge AI, following an executive order by President Donald Trump to vet AI systems for national security risks. Previously, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth attempted to classify Anthropic as a supply chain risk following a contract dispute.