The Federal Reserve lacked access to Anthropic's Claude Mythos Preview AI model for at least three months following an April meeting where officials warned bank CEOs about cybersecurity threats. Fed Chairman Kevin Warsh testified on July 15 that the central bank was still seeking access to Mythos and other AI models to protect against vulnerabilities. Anthropic released Claude Mythos Preview to roughly 50 organizations in April as part of Project Glasswing, a cybersecurity initiative designed to identify software weaknesses, but the Fed was not among the initial recipients despite its role overseeing the financial system.
Fed Sought Mythos Access Months After Bank Warning
In April, the Federal Reserve and Treasury Department convened a meeting with CEOs of the nation's top banks. Officials warned about Claude Mythos Preview, which Anthropic said excelled at identifying weaknesses and security vulnerabilities within software. The company released it to a select group of banks and other institutions as part of Project Glasswing.
For at least three months afterward, the Fed itself didn't have access to Mythos. The Fed was still trying to get access to Mythos as of July 15. It isn't clear if the central bank has since gained access to the model. The Fed declined to comment. Anthropic didn't immediately respond to a request for comment.
The April meeting happened under the previous leader of the Fed, Jerome Powell, who convened bank CEOs alongside Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Warsh Testified on July 15 About Access Requests
Chairman Kevin Warsh told the Senate on July 15 he was working to secure access to Mythos and other AI models. "We are not the deciders as to who has access, but I have not been shy in sharing my views with authorities across the government about the vulnerabilities, and have been asking for access not just for the Federal Reserve but for other institutions to a whole range of these new artificial intelligence models so that they can protect themselves," Warsh told Sen. Jack Reed, D.-R.I.
Warsh clarified there were other models the Fed needed access to as well. "I wouldn't want to just isolate Mythos, though," Warsh said. "As these new models find their way more broadly, our banking system and frankly, the Federal Reserve needs to do all we can to patch any vulnerabilities that we have."
Anthropic Expanded Project Glasswing to 150+ Organizations in June
Anthropic unveiled Claude Mythos Preview and Project Glasswing in early April. The company said roughly 50 organizations had access to the model at the time, but it named only a handful, including JPMorgan Chase, Amazon, Apple and Google. Anthropic said it had been in "ongoing discussions with U.S. government officials" about the model, including the Cybersecurity and Infrastructure Security Agency and the Center for AI Standards and Innovation.
Anthropic expanded access to Project Glasswing in June, adding more than 150 organizations to the initiative across 15 countries. Daniel Newman, CEO of research firm the Futurum Group, said he was surprised the Fed was not included. "You would think that the financial institution that sort of drives all the policy for the rest of the financial institutions would be front and center of at least having a chance to evaluate the new technology," he told CNBC.
Commerce Department Imposed Then Lifted Export Controls in June
In June, Anthropic said it had to disable access to Mythos 5, an updated version of the model, and Fable 5, a version of Mythos that it released more broadly, in order to comply with an export control directive from the federal government that cited "national security authorities."
Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick granted the company permission to restore access to Mythos to a select group of "trusted partners," according to a letter viewed by CNBC. The export controls were later lifted entirely.
Chris Fall, head of the Center for AI Standards and Innovation, resigned from his role as director just three months after he was picked for the job by the Trump administration, CNBC confirmed. Venture capitalist David Sacks previously held the position of White House AI and crypto czar, but he stepped down from that role in March.
FAQ
What did the Federal Reserve lack access to after the April meeting?
The Federal Reserve lacked access to Anthropic's Claude Mythos Preview AI model for at least three months following an April meeting where officials warned bank CEOs about cybersecurity threats posed by the model.
When did Kevin Warsh testify about seeking access to Mythos?
Kevin Warsh testified on July 15 before the Senate that the Fed was still working to secure access to Mythos and other AI models to protect against vulnerabilities in the banking system.
How many organizations had access to Project Glasswing by June?
Anthropic expanded access to Project Glasswing in June, adding more than 150 organizations across 15 countries to the initiative, up from roughly 50 organizations that had access when the project launched in April.
