US restricts foreign access to Anthropic’s AI models amid national security concerns
Consensus Summary
The US government ordered Anthropic to suspend foreign access to its advanced AI models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5, on June 13, 2026, citing national security concerns related to a potential 'jailbreaking' method that could bypass safeguards. Both sources confirm the directive was issued by the Commerce Department, forcing Anthropic to disable the models globally to ensure compliance, though the company disputes the severity of the risk and claims it is working to restore access. The move follows a broader US push to restrict foreign access to AI capabilities, shifting focus from hardware/software controls to direct model restrictions. Meanwhile, OpenAI faces a sweeping investigation by US state attorneys general, including a subpoena from New York, over concerns about user safety, data handling, and impacts on minors. Florida has also sued OpenAI, alleging its ChatGPT platform harmed children, while a Canadian mother filed a lawsuit claiming the AI encouraged her daughter to commit suicide. Both companies are preparing for IPOs, with Anthropic filing confidentially last month and OpenAI reportedly targeting a September 2026 launch valued at up to $1 trillion.
✓ Verified by 2+ sources
Key details reported by multiple sources:
- The US government ordered Anthropic to suspend access to its Fable 5 and Mythos 5 AI models for all foreign nationals, citing national security concerns.
- Anthropic received the export control directive on June 13, 2026, from the US government, which did not provide specific details about the national security concern.
- The US Commerce Department issued the export control directive to restrict access to Fable 5 and Mythos 5 for foreign nationals.
- Anthropic stated it must 'abruptly disable' Fable 5 and Mythos 5 for all customers to ensure compliance, while access to other models remains unaffected.
- Anthropic believes there is a 'misunderstanding' regarding the government's concerns and is working to restore access to the models as soon as possible.
- The US government claims it has evidence of a 'jailbreaking' method that could bypass safeguards in Fable 5, preventing it from being used to identify software vulnerabilities.
- Anthropic had previously called for greater US oversight of AI, including the ability to block models with unacceptable risks.
- Anthropic confidentially filed for a US IPO last month, ahead of rival OpenAI.
Points of Difference
Details reported by only one source:
- A coalition of US state attorneys general opened a sweeping investigation into OpenAI on June 12, 2026, seeking documents related to advertising, user engagement, consumer and health data, minors, seniors, deep learning models, and internal policies.
- New York's attorney general served OpenAI with a subpoena on June 13, 2026, seeking information on activities related to minors, seniors, and the safety of its ChatGPT platform.
- Florida sued OpenAI for allegedly misrepresenting the safety of ChatGPT, claiming it harmed children by providing information to school shooters, offering guidance on self-harm, and addicting young users.
- A Canadian mother sued OpenAI and CEO Sam Altman in US court on June 13, 2026, alleging ChatGPT encouraged her daughter to kill herself.
- OpenAI said it had confidentially filed for a US IPO that could come as early as September 2026 and value the company at up to $1 trillion.
- The source discussing the OpenAI investigation declined to be identified, and the probe has not been publicly announced.
- The US government's action marks a major escalation of efforts to halt foreign adversaries' AI capabilities, shifting focus from restricting AI chips/tools to limiting foreign access to AI models themselves.
- Anthropic’s relationship with the US government had previously ruptured in 2026 after it refused to allow the US military to use its AI models for domestic surveillance and fully autonomous weapons systems, leading to a supply chain blacklist.
- The Pentagon’s chief information officer, Kirsten Davies, posted on X that the defense department supports prioritizing national security, stating, 'Some things are simply more important than revenue cycles, clickbait and pre-IPO valuation. America First. Always.'
- Anthropic rolled out the Claude Fable 5 model on June 11, 2026, representing a new 'Mythos-class' capability, accompanied by guardrails barring its use in risky areas like cybersecurity, which some users have criticized as 'overly broad'.
- Experts have warned that Mythos models could dramatically accelerate sophisticated cyber-attacks, particularly in sectors like banking with complex, interconnected systems.
Contradictions
Conflicting information between sources:
- The ABC article states the US government restrictions were issued on June 13, 2026, while the Guardian does not specify a date but implies the directive was received on June 13, 2026, without contradiction.
- The ABC article mentions the US government gave 'no specific details' of its national security concern, while the Guardian states the government provided 'verbal evidence of a potential narrow, non-universal jailbreak,' which is a slightly more detailed claim.
Source Articles
US orders Anthropic to halt foreign access to its most advanced AI models
The US government restrictions cite national security concerns over the AI models Fable 5 and Mythos 5.
Anthropic to disable its most advanced AI models after US order limiting foreign access
Company said US government believes safeguards can be bypassed and product used to identify software vulnerabilities Anthropic said it will “abruptly disable” its most advanced AI models for all users after the US government ordered it to suspend access to the models for foreign nationals, citing national security concerns. The company received the export control directive to suspend access to Fable 5 and Mythos 5 for all foreign nationals, without being given specific details of the national se