The United States government has lifted export restrictions on Anthropic's most powerful artificial intelligence models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5, ending an 18-day international access ban that had sent shockwaves through the AI industry.
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick announced the decision late Tuesday, confirming that the Department of Commerce had worked closely with Anthropic to analyze and approve the models. In a letter to the company, Lutnick noted that Anthropic had agreed to "proactively detect and address security risks" associated with the two advanced systems.
'We worked closely with Anthropic over the past two weeks to analyze and approve Fable 5 and strengthen America's leadership in AI,' Lutnick posted on X.
Anthropic said it would begin restoring access to Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5 for customers worldwide starting Wednesday. The company had abruptly disabled both models on June 12 after the White House imposed emergency export controls, citing national security concerns over a demonstrated jailbreak technique that allegedly allowed the models to bypass safety guardrails.
Anthropic had downplayed the severity of the jailbreak, saying it was used to 'identify a small number of previously known, minor vulnerabilities' rather than to carry out a sophisticated cyber breach. However, the government's swift action reflected growing anxiety in Washington about the potential for advanced AI to be weaponized by hostile actors.
The export controls had prevented foreign nationals — including Anthropic employees who were not U.S. citizens — from accessing the newest models. The ban drew criticism from international researchers and businesses who relied on the technology.
White House Chief of Staff Susie Wiles praised the resolution, writing: 'My gratitude to companies across industries who continue to work closely with the White House to implement the President's EO: Promoting Advanced AI Innovation and Security. Our shared priority remains: get the best tech deployed as quickly and safely as possible.'
However, Lutnick's letter included a warning: the administration reserves the right to reimpose restrictions 'if circumstances change or should Anthropic fail to adhere to its commitments.'
The lifting of controls marks a significant moment for AI governance. Anthropic had touted Mythos 5 as a highly sophisticated model capable of major cybersecurity disruptions, initially offering it only to top tech companies, governments, and financial institutions. Fable 5 was released as a public 'Mythos-class' model with additional safety restrictions on queries related to cybersecurity, biology, and chemistry.
Industry analysts view the episode as a blueprint for how future administrations may handle the tension between AI innovation and national security — a balancing act that will only grow more complex as models become more capable.
