▲ Anthropic
The U.S. administration has imposed export controls on "Mythos," the top-tier AI model from Anthropic, dealing a blow to South Korean government agencies and companies that had just joined "Project Glasswing," a global AI security coalition.
Anthropic announced on June 12 (local time) that the U.S. government, following guidelines from national security authorities, has issued export control directives that completely suspend access to "Mythos 5" and "Fable 5" for foreign nationals.
The measure applies not only to overseas users but also to foreign nationals residing in the United States and even foreign employees working at Anthropic.
Project Glasswing is a global cybersecurity partnership launched by Anthropic alongside the unveiling of its Mythos model.
Concerned that Mythos could be misused by malicious hackers, the project has operated by providing the model in advance to verified companies and institutions to help defend against software vulnerabilities.
On June 2 (local time), Anthropic significantly expanded the scope of Glasswing participation to include approximately 150 new institutions across 15 countries.
In South Korea, Samsung Electronics, SK Hynix, SK Telecom, and the Korea Internet & Security Agency (KISA) are known to have joined the initiative.
While domestic companies took their first steps in global AI security cooperation by gaining access to Mythos upon joining Glasswing, they have been hit hard by the U.S. administration's export control measures just about ten days later.
It is understood that although these entities were granted access, they had not yet reached the stage of utilizing the model in any practical capacity.
The Ministry of Science and ICT stated that it is currently in the process of verifying the facts.
Previously, at a meeting of science and technology ministers on May 29, the government announced a "Private Information Protection Promotion Plan to Respond to AI-based Cyber Threats."
At the meeting, the government stated that it would establish an emergency system centered around the National Security Office to rapidly share and disseminate information on AI vulnerabilities and enable joint responses in the event of security breaches, while also operating a general situation room within the Ministry of Science and ICT along with situation rooms for each relevant private-sector ministry.
Domestic companies are also reported to be communicating with Anthropic to assess the situation.
In the wake of this incident, the importance of securing independent AI capabilities, so-called "Sovereign AI," is once again being highlighted in South Korea.
Ha Jung-woo, former AI Future Planning Secretary to the President, assessed the situation on his personal social media shortly after the U.S. administration's Mythos export control guidelines were issued, stating, "This is what happens when you become dependent on AI technology in an era where AI capabilities determine national competitiveness."
He emphasized, "Such incidents can continue to happen at any time," adding, "While we must cooperate globally, we must also possess our own capabilities for emergencies."
However, it is reported that Anthropic has currently blocked access to Mythos Fable 5 for all users, including foreign nationals and U.S. citizens.
(Photo: Yonhap News)
※ Please note: This article was translated by AI and may contain errors.