European Commission pushes back on US export controls blocking access to Anthropic AI models

Anthropic's export ban 'should not be discriminatory,' Commission says

Brussels pushes back after Americans-only order locks Europeans out of Anthropic's top AI models, calling out discriminatory practices. The US government's decision to impose export controls on Anthropic's most powerful AI models is drawing scrutiny from the European Commission, which is assessing the implications for EU users. On Friday, the Trump administration issued a directive banning foreign nationals from using Anthropic's Fable 5 and Mythos 5 AI models, citing national security concerns, and forcing the company to cut off access for all non-US users, including Europeans. Fable 5 and Mythos 5 are considered state-of-the-art models. Access had initially been restricted to a select group of users to assess their potential to identify and exploit vulnerabilities for cyberattacks. "We are seeing a new generation of highly capable AI models reach the market. These models offer significant benefits, including for cyber-defence, but they also raise serious cybersecurity concerns that need to be addressed," European Commission spokesperson for tech sovereignty Thomas Regnier said on Sunday. "This is a shared challenge, not one confined to a single jurisdiction or company. We believe that contingency measures taken in this light should not be discriminatory against partners," he added. For the Commission, the episode is another illustration that Europe needs to strengthen its technological sovereignty, and that existing EU laws on cybersecurity and AI can help the bloc manage these emerging risks on its own terms. "We are looking closely at the practical consequences of this for European users of these services," Regnier said. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei will join G7 leaders and the chief executives of other leading AI companies for a working lunch on Tuesday.

EU Commission looking at practical consequences of Anthropic decision, spokesperson says

The EU is scrutinizing US export controls on advanced AI models, citing potential discrimination against partners. AI firm Anthropic is disabling its top models for foreign nationals due to national security concerns. The European Commission emphasizes the need for non-discriminatory measures and Europe's technological independence. The European Commission said on Sunday that it is assessing the practical implications of a U.S. export control directive impacting artificial intelligence company Anthropic and that measures should ⁠not ⁠be discriminatory against partners. Anthropic said on Friday it would "abruptly disable" its most advanced AI models for all users after the U.S. government ordered it to suspend access to the models for ⁠foreign nationals, citing national security concerns. "We are seeing a new generation of ⁠highly capable AI models reach the market. These models offer significant benefits, including for cyber-defence, but they also raise serious cybersecurity concerns that need to be addressed," European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said in a statement. "We believe that contingency measures taken in this light should not be discriminatory against ⁠partners," he said. "This development is a further illustration of why Europe needs to strengthen its technological sovereignty," Regnier said. "We are looking closely at the practical consequences of this for European users of these services."

Trump Admin's Move To Curb Use Of Powerful Anthropic AI Models By Non-US Citizens Gets EU Response: 'Shou

On Sunday, the European Commission said the abrupt suspension of Anthropic's most advanced artificial intelligence models for foreign users highlights the need for Europe to strengthen its technological sovereignty and reduce dependence on foreign AI providers. European Commission Reviews Impact Of Anthropic AI Restrictions The comments came after Anthropic said it would disable access to its Fable 5 and Mythos 5 AI models for non-U.S. users following a U.S. government directive tied to national security concerns. "We are seeing a new generation of highly capable AI models reach the market," European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said in a statement, Reuters reported. While such systems can provide benefits, including in cybersecurity defense, they also raise "serious cybersecurity concerns that need to be addressed," he said. Regnier added that any contingency measures adopted in response to those concerns "should not be discriminatory against partners." The European Commission said it is closely evaluating the practical implications of the move for European users and businesses that rely on access to advanced AI services. AI Sovereignty Debate Gains Momentum In Europe Regnier said the episode serves as "a further illustration of why Europe needs to strengthen its technological sovereignty." The development quickly reignited calls from European politicians for greater investment in homegrown AI capabilities. Jordan Bardella, leader of France's National Rally party and a leading contender in the country's next presidential election, said the decision demonstrated that AI has become a matter of national sovereignty. He warned that countries that fail to develop their own advanced AI models risk becoming increasingly dependent on decisions made elsewhere. Finnish Member of the European Parliament Aura Salla echoed those concerns, saying Europe cannot continue building critical technology infrastructure on services that can be "switched off overnight" by a foreign government, Politico reported. US Expects Restrictions To Be Temporary The U.S. government is reportedly expected to lift the export controls once Anthropic addresses the safety concerns that prompted the restrictions. David Sacks, co-chair of the President's Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, said the administration hopes Anthropic can quickly remediate the issue so the models can return to general availability. The controversy has also drawn renewed attention to France-based AI startup Mistral, widely viewed as Europe's strongest contender in the race to develop frontier AI models. Anthropic's IPO Momentum Builds Earlier this month, Anthropic confidentially submitted a draft registration statement on Form S-1 to the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission. Price Action: Amazon closed at $238.55 on Friday, down 1.23% and edging up 0.05% to $238.67 in after-hours trading, according to Benzinga Pro. According to Benzinga Edge Stock Rankings, Amazon ranks in the 95th percentile for growth, reflecting a strong medium and long-term price trend despite a weaker short-term trend. Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors. Photo Courtesy: Algi Febri Sugita on Shutterstock.com Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs To add Benzinga News as your preferred source on Google, click here.

EU Commission looking at practical consequences of Anthropic decision, spokesperson says

BRUSSELS, June 14 (Reuters) - The European Commission said on Sunday that it is assessing the practical implications of a U.S. export control directive impacting artificial intelligence company Anthropic and that measures should not be discriminatory against partners. Anthropic said on Friday it would "abruptly disable" its most advanced AI models for all users after the U.S. government ordered it to suspend access to the models for foreign nationals, citing national security concerns. "We are seeing a new generation of highly capable AI models reach the market. These models offer significant benefits, including for cyber-defence, but they also raise serious cybersecurity concerns that need to be addressed," European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier said in a statement. "We believe that contingency measures taken in this light should not be discriminatory against partners," he said. "This development is a further illustration of why Europe needs to strengthen its technological sovereignty," Regnier said. "We are looking closely at the practical consequences of this for European users of these services." (Reporting by Foo Yun Chee; Writing by Lili Bayer)