US lifts export ban on Anthropic’s advanced AI models after safety review

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The decision follows a suspension in mid-June triggered by national security concerns regarding potential software vulnerabilities and methods used to bypass safety restrictions.

Restoration of Fable 5 and Mythos 5 access

The suspension, which began on June 12, was implemented due to fears that the technology could be used by hackers to exploit computer systems.

Restoration of Fable 5 and Mythos 5 access

Fable 5 serves the consumer market and is capable of deep reasoning and performing complex tasks independently. In contrast, the Mythos 5 model is designed for businesses and cybersecurity experts, with the specific capability to identify and exploit vulnerabilities in computer code.

In this case, the focus was on "jailbreaking," a process where users employ specific prompts or adversarial inputs to bypass the safety guardrails established by AI developers to prevent the generation of harmful content or the facilitation of cyberattacks.

Anthropic has disputed the necessity of the initial suspension. The company noted that while authorities identified a potential method for bypassing safety features, the risk did not justify a total recall.

“Our understanding is that the government believes it has become aware of a method of bypassing, or ‘jailbreaking’ Fable 5. However, we disagree that the finding of a narrow potential jailbreak should be cause for recalling a commercial model deployed to hundreds of millions of people.

California’s 50% discount for state and local agencies

While federal export restrictions have eased, the state of California is significantly expanding its internal use of Anthropic’s technology. Through a new partnership, state agencies can now access the Claude productivity assistant at a 50% discounted price.

California's 50% discount for state and local agencies
Photo: gov.ca.gov

As the California government reported, the agreement includes free workforce training and expert technical assistance from Anthropic developers. The discount is not limited to state-level administration; it is also available to local governments, including cities and counties across the state.

To manage this rollout, the California Department of Technology (CDT) is utilizing the new Statewide Information Technology Shared Services (SITeS) portal. This portal centralizes AI tools to provide transparent pricing and streamline procurement for various business use cases. By consolidating these purchases, the state aims to avoid the fragmented, high-cost procurement cycles that often characterize large government IT deployments.

“CDT is partnering with departments across the state to leverage the state’s purchasing power to make it easy to procure new tools, fast and for the best price. Our work on SITeS is just one way we are reducing barriers for state employees to gain access to the tools they need.

Claude deployment for DMV and Medicaid services

The integration of Claude into state workflows targets specific operational bottlenecks. Several major agencies have already identified primary use cases for the AI tool:

US Government Shuts Down Anthropic's Claude Fable 5 Over Jailbreak Concerns – Pre-IPO Shares Plummet
  • CA DMV: Utilizing the tool to improve customer service and reduce wait times.
  • CA Dept of Healthcare Services: Implementing Claude for internal workflows to assist the country’s largest Medicaid agency.
  • CDT and CalOES: Deploying Claude Security and Claude Code for scanning, triaging, and patching state code.

The use of Claude Code by the California Governor’s Office of Emergency Services (CalOES) and the CDT is particularly significant, as it applies AI directly to the maintenance of the state’s critical digital infrastructure. This involves automating the identification of bugs and vulnerabilities in government software, which can then be patched to prevent security breaches.

The partnership also builds on previous AI initiatives in the state, such as the Engaged California deliberative democracy platform and Poppy, an AI tool designed by state employees to handle common business queries.

Claude deployment for DMV and Medicaid services
Photo: bbc.co.uk

“As state employees, our goal is to provide our fellow Californians with the best possible service. To do that, we need to make sure our teams have access to the best modern tools, including Claude and other emerging technologies.

For Anthropic, the expansion into public sector infrastructure represents a significant scaling of its Claude platform, moving beyond individual consumer and corporate subscriptions into systemic government operations.

“As a California company, we feel a real responsibility to our home state. We’re honored to expand our partnership with California’s agencies and to put Claude to work for the people who keep this state running. Building AI responsibly and in service of people has been our approach from the start, and that’s exactly what this partnership puts into practice.

Find more reporting in our Tech section.

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