Europe demands AI sovereignty after Anthropic shuts off access to top models

Anthropic’s sudden suspension of its most advanced AI models for non-American users has triggered alarm across Europe, with politicians from across the political spectrum calling for greater technological independence. The European Commission confirmed it is assessing the consequences of the move.

The US company announced late on Friday that it had received a government directive ordering it to suspend access to its Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models for foreign nationals, citing national security concerns. Anthropic said it believed the US government had become aware of a potential means of jailbreaking Fable 5. As a result, Anthropic disabled both models for all its customers to ensure compliance.

European Commission spokesperson Thomas Regnier acknowledged the security concerns behind the decision but pushed back against its scope. “We believe that contingency measures taken in this light should not be discriminatory against partners,” he said. Regnier added that the episode was “a further illustration of why Europe needs to strengthen its technological sovereignty.”

Politicians across Europe respond

Reactions came swiftly from politicians across Europe, as Nathan Rennolds reports for Euronews.

• British MP Al Carns noted that British researchers, companies, and hospitals had been using the models. “This week the most advanced AI model on the planet got switched off by a foreign government,” he said.
• French presidential candidate Bruno Retailleau called the decision a “wake-up call,” warning that a nation dependent on foreign technology “can be unplugged overnight.”
• French minister Benjamin Haddad said Europe “cannot settle for being an open market dependent on technologies designed, funded, and controlled elsewhere.”
• Former French prime minister Édouard Philippe described AI as “critical infrastructure,” comparing it to electricity and the internet.
• British MP Tom Tugendhat said the shutdown showed that “sovereignty is more about code than cannons.”

Several French politicians specifically called for increased support for Mistral AI as a homegrown alternative. Dutch far-right leader Geert Wilders also called on the Netherlands to accelerate development of its own models.

Sources

• EU Commission looking at practical consequences of Anthropic decision, spokesperson says – Reuters
• Europe reacts to Anthropic halting access to top AI models – Euronews