US lifts export restrictions on powerful AI models from Anthropic

The US Department of Commerce lifted export restrictions on Anthropic's artificial intelligence models Fable 5 and Mythos 5 at the end of June, which had previously been blocked to international users on national security grounds. Anthropic announced it will begin restoring access from 1 July 2026. The case is notable because the US administration has generally been promoting a policy of freer AI use.

The US Department of Commerce lifted export restrictions on Anthropic's artificial intelligence models Fable 5 and Mythos 5 on 30 June 2026, enabling global access once again to the platform's most powerful tools.

Restrictions imposed in mid-June

US authorities imposed restrictions in mid-June that barred citizens of foreign countries from accessing the models in question, citing national security considerations. Because Anthropic is unable to distinguish users by nationality, the company shut down both services entirely, for both domestic and international users.

The company announced on social media platform X: "We received notice that the Department of Commerce has lifted the export restrictions on Fable 5 and Mythos 5. We will begin restoring access on Wednesday and will share additional information soon. We are grateful to our users for their patience."

Mythos 5 capabilities raised concerns

Experts have highlighted that Mythos 5 can identify and exploit vulnerabilities in cybersecurity systems at an unprecedented pace. Fable 5 is a lighter version of this model. It was precisely this capability that raised concerns among US authorities about the model potentially falling into the hands of hostile nations.

The White House intervention was surprising to many, given that the Trump administration has generally emphasised easing AI regulation. The move also drew criticism from US allies, who found that the restrictions hindered the work of their research institutions and companies.

Dispute with the Pentagon continues

In parallel, Anthropic is engaged in litigation with the US Department of Defense. The Pentagon seeks unrestricted access to Anthropic's artificial intelligence technology, but the company refuses to enable this. Anthropic has explained that it does not want its artificial intelligence to be used for mass surveillance or in fully autonomous weapons systems.

In response, the Pentagon classified Anthropic as a "supply chain security risk," a designation the company is contesting in court.

Anthropic is known primarily through its conversational AI Claude, on which the Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models are based.