Anthropic Restricts Access to Latest AI Models for Foreign Nationals
Anthropic has abruptly shut down access to its latest and most powerful AI models following a request from the Trump administration. The company took its Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models offline over the weekend after the White House demanded it block access for all foreign nationals, including employees working outside the United States.
The administration imposed the restriction with little warning or explanation, according to the report. Anthropic stated it had little choice but to comply with the government's directive. The models were already subject to safeguards limiting their use in certain contexts, but the new restrictions represent a significant expansion of access controls.
The incident has sparked discussion about the concentration of frontier AI capabilities in American companies and the reach of US government authority over who can access these technologies. While the US dominates the development of leading AI systems, the case highlights how the American government can wield significant influence over access to these tools.
The shutdown affects not only external users but also Anthropic's own employees stationed abroad, who can no longer access the company's newest models. The move underscores the evolving landscape of AI governance and international access to advanced AI systems.