The US government is now working to make a version of Anthropic PBC’s powerful AI model Mythos, available to major federal agencies, according to a memo reviewed by Bloomberg. This move of the government comes amid the growing concerns that the latest AI model of Anthropic is being described as both groundbreaking and ‘much-dreaded’, could sharply increase cybersecurity risks if it’s misused.
As reported by Bloomberg, Gregory Barbaccia, the federal chief information officer at the Office of Management and Budget (OMB), told Cabinet-level officials in an email that OMB is setting up protections to allow agencies to begin using Mythos. The email, subject-lined “Mythos Model Access,” did not specify a timeline but said more details would be shared “in the coming weeks.”Barbaccia wrote: “We’re working closely with model providers, other industry partners, and the intelligence community to ensure the appropriate guardrails and safeguards are in place before potentially releasing a modified version of the model to agencies.”
Agencies in line for access
As per the report, the email was sent to officials at the Department of Defense, Treasury, Commerce, Homeland Security, Justice, and State, among others. However, none of the agencies have yet confirmed early access, the Treasury Department has previously sought Mythos to uncover software flaws in its systems.
Why Anthropic’s new AI model Mythos matters
Anthropic has limited Mythos’s release to select technology companies and financial firms, urging them to use it for cybersecurity risk assessment.
The company restricted access after testers discovered the model could identify critical software bugs at a speed and scale comparable to elite hackers raising fears it could be weaponised to steal data or sabotage networks.US officials have already encouraged private-sector organisations to use Mythos defensively. Last year, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell convened Wall Street leaders in Washington to urge adoption of the tool for identifying vulnerabilities.
Mythos spark national security concerns
Within government, Mythos has sparked debate. Defense officials worry that equipping hackers with such a model could be akin to turning a conventional soldier into a special forces operator. The Pentagon even declared Anthropic a supply chain threat earlier this year, a designation usually reserved for foreign adversaries. Anthropic challenged the move in court and won an order blocking the ban, arguing that exclusion from government contracts could cost billions in lost revenue.
