Amazon CEO Reportedly Prompted US Shutdown of Anthropic AI Models
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy reportedly alerted US officials to security risks posed by Anthropic's advanced AI models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5. This led to a government order for Anthropic to shut down global access to these models on June 12, 2026, citing potential use in cyberattacks. Anthropic stated the bypass found only minor flaws.
Key points
- Amazon CEO Andy Jassy reportedly informed US government officials about security concerns regarding Anthropic's Fable 5 and Mythos 5 AI models.
- The US government subsequently ordered Anthropic to cease global access to these two models on June 12, 2026.
- The shutdown was reportedly triggered by fears that the AI models could be used to gather information for cyberattacks.
- Anthropic stated that the identified method to bypass safeguards only revealed minor security flaws, comparable to those found in other public models.
- Amazon, a significant investor in Anthropic, confirmed it consults with governments on potential security risks.
Amazon CEO Andy Jassy is reportedly the source behind the US government's order to shut down Anthropic's latest AI models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5. According to reports, Jassy raised concerns with senior US officials, including Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, that researchers had used Fable 5 to obtain information exploitable in cyberattacks.
This intervention led the Trump administration to impose an export control ban on both models globally on Friday, June 12, 2026. Anthropic confirmed the shutdown, stating the US government believed there was a method to bypass safeguards against using the models to identify cybersecurity vulnerabilities. The AI startup, however, noted that the bypass found only minor flaws, similar to those discoverable through other publicly available AI systems.
An Amazon spokesperson acknowledged that it is "not uncommon for governments to seek our counsel on potential security risks" but declined to provide specific details. The tech giant is a major investor in Anthropic, having committed billions in cloud spending and capital. The situation highlights a complex dynamic where a key financial backer of an AI company also flagged security concerns to regulators, resulting in a significant operational halt for the AI developer.
Sources
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