Trump drops restrictions on Anthropic’s Mythos and Fable models
The U.S. has lifted a requirement that Anthropic obtain a license before exporting its Mythos and Fable models abroad, a requirement that effectively cut off public access to what are widely considered the most advanced AI models released to date.
The AI lab said it would begin restoring access to the models on Wednesday, July 1.
On June 12, the U.S. government had added the products to its list of export-restricted technologies, meaning they could no longer be made available to foreign nationals without special approval. Complying with that rule proved impractical at scale, forcing Anthropic to end public access to the models altogether.
Now, after weeks of talks, Secretary of Commerce Howard Lutnick said Anthropic “has agreed to proactively detect and address security risks associated with the models; to work diligently with the U.S. government on protocols and standards and releases for Mythos, Fable and future models; and to inform the US government of any malicious activity.”
Anthropic had alreadypublicly pledgedto do much of this voluntarily, months before the export rule existed. That’s part of why cybersecurity experts wereskeptical of the restrictionsin the first place. To them, the ban looked less like a security fix and more like leverage, a way for the Trump administration to punish Anthropic for its executives’ public criticism of how the government, and the president’s political opponents, might use the technology.
Mythos was originally made available to a select group of organizations beginning in April to allay concerns about its ability to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in software, while a version called Fable wasreleasedto the public in June with additional security guardrails.
However, with Asian AI companiesbeginning to releasetheir own AI models approaching Mythos-level capabilities — among them Fugu and Tulongfeng — the U.S. government was under pressure to ease its restrictions on Anthropic to ensure that American AI could compete globally.
Last week, Lutnick cleared Mythos to be released to select customers approved by the White House. OpenAI’s latest modelswere also releasedto a group of organizations approved by the Trump team, instead of the public.
The Trump administration’s erratic approach to AI policymaking has left companies across the industry with little clarity about what will govern future model releases. An executive order issued in June that signaled a desire to review models ahead of release wascriticizedby influential analysts like Dean W. Ball, who recently started a policy position at OpenAI.
Topics
When you purchase through links in our articles,we may earn a small commission. This doesn’t affect our editorial independence.
Senior Reporter
Last chance to save up to $190 on TechCrunch Founder Summit. Join 1,000+ founders and VCs at all stages for real-world scaling insights and connections that move the needle.Savings end June 26, 11:59 p.m. PT.
Most Popular¶
- Flipper Device’s new Busy Bar is a customizable display for productivityIvan Mehta
Flipper Device’s new Busy Bar is a customizable display for productivity¶
Flipper Device’s new Busy Bar is a customizable display for productivity
- Ivan Mehta
- Ford rehires ‘gray beard’ engineers after AI falls shortAnthony Ha
Ford rehires ‘gray beard’ engineers after AI falls short¶
Ford rehires ‘gray beard’ engineers after AI falls short
- Anthony Ha
- Govee’s smart nugget ice maker makes every iced drink feel like a luxuryAisha Malik
Govee’s smart nugget ice maker makes every iced drink feel like a luxury¶
Govee’s smart nugget ice maker makes every iced drink feel like a luxury
- Aisha Malik
- Asian AI startups launch Mythos-like models as Anthropic’s export ban drags onKate Park
Asian AI startups launch Mythos-like models as Anthropic’s export ban drags on¶
Asian AI startups launch Mythos-like models as Anthropic’s export ban drags on
- Kate Park
- Trump administration proposes axing brake-pedal requirement for AVs in a boost for TeslaSean O'Kane
Trump administration proposes axing brake-pedal requirement for AVs in a boost for Tesla¶
Trump administration proposes axing brake-pedal requirement for AVs in a boost for Tesla
- Sean O'Kane
- Former Infosys chief has a new startup that wants to challenge the IT services worldJagmeet Singh
Former Infosys chief has a new startup that wants to challenge the IT services world¶
Former Infosys chief has a new startup that wants to challenge the IT services world
- Jagmeet Singh
- OpenAI unveils its first custom chip, built by BroadcomRussell Brandom
OpenAI unveils its first custom chip, built by Broadcom¶
OpenAI unveils its first custom chip, built by Broadcom
- Russell Brandom