Anthropic reportedly withholds access to Mythos 5.1 from UK safety testing body

The decision marks the first time the AI Security Institute has been left out of pre-release evaluations of Anthropic models

Anthropic company logo and branding pictured on a smartphone screen.
(Image credit: Getty Images)

The UK's AI Security Institute (AISI) has not been granted access to Anthropic’s Mythos 5.1 model for pre-release testing, prompting fears of a growing “protectionist” trend among US developers.

The Financial Times reports that Anthropic declined to submit the model for testing despite granting access to similar US organizations.

Claude Mythos 5.1 launched on 1 September, with access to the AI model only granted to approved partners.

The model, which has relaxed safeguards, is restricted to organizations involved in the company’s Project Glasswing, formed after the launch of the original Mythos model earlier this year.

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June saw the US impose temporary export restrictions on Mythos 5 and Fable 5, essentially banning foreign users from accessing either model.

According to the Financial Times, UK government officials have raised concerns that the decision to withhold access highlights a “wider protectionist shift” among US tech companies.

AISI is backed by the UK government and charged with conducting research into AI model safety, working closely with industry stakeholders and researchers.

These tests aim to help “understand the capabilities and impacts of advanced AI and to develop and test risk mitigations,” according to the institute.

Anthropic yet to clarify decision

Details on why Anthropic declined to offer access haven’t been confirmed. ITPro approached the company and AISI for comment, but hadn’t received a response at the time of publication.

Notably, the move marks the first time AISI has been left out of pre-release evaluations of Anthropic models. The institute was granted access to Claude Mythos 5 when it first launched in April, for example.

More recently, the institute published a blog highlighting what it described as “unsanctioned agent behaviour” with Mythos 5.

That report came in the wake of an admission by Anthropic that agents had escaped testing environments and breached third-party organizations.

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Ross Kelly
News and Analysis Editor

Ross Kelly is ITPro's News & Analysis Editor, responsible for leading the brand's news output and in-depth reporting on the latest stories from across the business technology landscape. Ross was previously a Staff Writer, during which time he developed a keen interest in cyber security, business leadership, and emerging technologies.

He graduated from Edinburgh Napier University in 2016 with a BA (Hons) in Journalism, and joined ITPro in 2022 after four years working in technology conference research.

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