Anthropic announced on Friday that it has suspended access to two of its most powerful artificial intelligence models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5, to comply with a United States national security order. The decision comes just three days after the public launch of Fable 5.
Government Directive
In a blog post, the company stated that it received a government directive prohibiting all foreign nationals, including those employed by Anthropic, from accessing Fable 5 and Mythos 5 due to national security concerns. The order effectively forces Anthropic to disable these models for all customers to ensure compliance.
Background of the Order
Earlier on Friday, Axios reported that the Trump administration was blocking foreign governments, companies, and individuals from accessing Anthropic's most advanced AI models. US Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick sent a letter to Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, stating that Mythos 5 and Fable 5 would be subject to export controls to any location outside the US and to all foreign persons within the country.
The Commerce Department took this action after another company claimed it was able to jailbreak Mythos, according to Axios, citing an administration official.
Recent Executive Order
President Trump signed an executive order earlier this month requiring leading AI developers to voluntarily submit their most capable models for government cybersecurity tests before public release. This order is part of broader efforts to address national security risks associated with advanced AI.
Anthropic's Dispute with the Administration
A months-long dispute between Trump administration officials and Anthropic had been showing signs of easing across parts of the US government as the company prepares to go public, Reuters reported earlier in June. However, the Defense Department in March labeled the company a 'supply-chain risk,' indicating ongoing tensions.
The sudden suspension of access to Fable 5 and Mythos 5 underscores the increasing scrutiny of AI technologies by US authorities, particularly regarding their potential use by foreign adversaries.
