RECENTLY, the United States government announced that it would be putting restrictions on Claude’s Mythos 5 model.
The restriction doesn’t just apply to strategic rivals. Like Russia or China, it includes even allies, something which has caused a lot of grumbling on social media. After all, Anthropic is supposed to be a private company, and isn’t the US supposed to be all about the free market?
Well, the truth is that the free market only applies to civilian items, like cars, detergents and food stuffs. It does not apply to items which can be weaponized, bio-toxins and fissile materials. Those items are dangerous, and as such fall under national security.
Sure, Claude may be used to create workflows and solve cash flow issues, but it can also be employed to help hack government databases.
Further, with the amount of funding being directed at artificial intelligence (AI), the US government wants accountability, that is to say the current administration is treating AI like it is treating National Infrastructure: Critical.
And for good reason too. The only other country that comes close to the US’ AI capabilities is China, and it has blocked American and foreign investors from investing in their companies.
The same is true with their AI researchers. The Chinese, like the United States, are not willing to share what they consider to be strategic assets.
This brings up a difficult predicament for the other parts of the world. Either they make their own A.or they are forced to be dependents of either the Americans or the Chinese. Now, some countries are attempting to create new models, like Japan’s Sakana Fugu, but as of now, the players are extremely limited.
Artificial intelligence is no longer just about technology or economics. It is increasingly being framed in terms of self-interest, perhaps even existential self-interest./PN
