Anthropic co-founder confirms the company briefed the Trump administration on Mythos

Jack Clark, a co-founder of Anthropic and its Head of Public Benefit, has revealed that the company briefed the Trump administration about their newly developed AI model, Mythos. This advanced model, unveiled last week, is considered too hazardous for public release due to its significant cybersecurity capabilities. During an interview at the Semafor World Economy summit, Clark elaborated on Anthropic's ongoing interactions with the U.S. government, despite the company currently suing the administration. In March, Anthropic initiated legal action against the Department of Defense after being classified as a supply-chain risk. The company and the Pentagon have been at odds over issues such as military access to Anthropic’s AI systems for purposes like mass surveillance and autonomous weaponry, resulting in OpenAI winning a competitive contract instead. Clark downplayed the government’s designation of Anthropic as a supply-chain risk, describing it as a minor contracting issue rather than an obstacle to the company's commitment to national security. He emphasized the importance of government awareness regarding AI advancements and the necessity for public-private partnerships to address the national security implications of revolutionary technologies. "We discussed Mythos with them, and we plan to engage on future models as well," he stated. His confirmation follows reports indicating that Trump officials are urging major banks, including JPMorgan Chase and Goldman Sachs, to assess the capabilities of Mythos. In the same conversation, Clark addressed AI’s broader societal implications, such as its potential effect on employment and education. While Anthropic's CEO, Dario Amodei, has warned that AI advancements could lead to unemployment rates reminiscent of the Great Depression, Clark offered a more measured perspective. He noted a slight decline in early graduate employment in certain sectors but maintained that the company is prepared for any significant employment transitions. When asked about college majors students should focus on in light of AI's influence, Clark suggested that those involving interdisciplinary synthesis and analytical thinking would be most beneficial. He explained that AI can provide access to a vast array of subject matter experts, but success lies in knowing how to ask the right questions and synthesizing insights from diverse fields.