Pentagon tech chief says Anthropic is still blacklisted, but Mythos is a separate issue

Emil Michael, the Chief Technology Officer of the Defense Department, provided insights on Friday regarding the ongoing concerns surrounding Anthropic, emphasizing its classification as a supply chain risk. However, he made it clear that the company's advanced artificial intelligence model, Mythos, stands apart as a unique national security concern. During an interview on CNBC's "Squawk Box," Michael stated, "The Mythos issue is being addressed across the government, not just within the Department of Defense. We need to ensure our networks are fortified because this model possesses specific capabilities that are crucial for identifying and addressing cyber vulnerabilities." Michael's remarks follow a public dispute earlier this year between the Department of Defense and Anthropic, which arose when the agency labeled Anthropic's technology as a potential threat to U.S. national security. This designation was prompted by the two parties' inability to reach an agreement on the appropriate use of Anthropic's models within the agency. The situation remains fluid, and updates are expected as developments unfold.