US Officials Warn Bank CEOs of Cybersecurity Risks from Anthropic's Mythos AI
Treasury Secretary Bessent and Fed Chair Powell held urgent meeting with major bank executives to discuss cyber vulnerabilities posed by Anthropic's new AI model capable of identifying system weaknesses.
US Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell convened an urgent meeting with bank CEOs on Tuesday, April 7, to warn of the cybersecurity risks posed by Anthropic's latest artificial intelligence model, according to sources familiar with the matter.
Anthropic launched its Mythos model on Tuesday but deliberately limited its release, citing concerns that the model could expose previously unknown cybersecurity vulnerabilities. The company has stated that the model is capable of identifying and exploiting weaknesses in every major operating system and web browser, raising significant security concerns across the technology and financial sectors.
Prior to the model's release, Anthropic indicated it was engaged in ongoing discussions with US government officials regarding Mythos' offensive and defensive cyber capabilities. According to sources close to the matter, the company proactively briefed senior government officials and key industry stakeholders on the model's capabilities ahead of its public announcement.
The Treasury-hosted meeting in Washington was strategically timed to ensure major banks are aware of the risks posed by Mythos and similar advanced AI models, and to encourage them to take appropriate defensive measures to protect their systems. The meeting was particularly convenient for scheduling, as most CEOs of the largest US banks were already in Washington attending other meetings.
Access to the Mythos model will be strictly limited to approximately 40 technology companies, including major players such as Microsoft and Google. According to Bloomberg News, which first reported the matter, CEOs from several major financial institutions attended the briefing, including executives from Citigroup, Morgan Stanley, Bank of America, Wells Fargo, and Goldman Sachs. JPMorgan CEO Jamie Dimon was unable to participate in the meeting.
When contacted for comment, Goldman Sachs, Wells Fargo, and the Federal Reserve declined to provide statements. The Treasury Department, various lenders involved, and Anthropic did not immediately respond to requests for comment regarding the meeting and its implications for the financial sector.
