Japan gov't to get access to Anthropic's latest AI: finance minister

The Japanese government is set to be granted access to U.S. startup Anthropic's latest artificial intelligence model Claude Mythos later in the month, Finance Minister Satsuki Katayama said Friday, in a move that would likely help strengthen cyber defense. U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent said during his three-day visit to Japan through May 13 that the Japanese government and the country's financial institutions would be given access within two weeks, according to the minister. Sources close to the matter said on May 13 that Japan's three megabanks -- MUFG Bank, Sumitomo Mitsui Banking Corp and Mizuho Bank -- are expected to gain access to the sophisticated AI model, released in April by Anthropic. Japan and the United States have pledged to work together to respond quickly to cyberattacks targeting vulnerabilities in financial systems. Due to safety and security concerns, access to the Claude Mythos model is currently limited to IT companies, such as Google LLC, and certain financial institutions. Anthropic reports that its preview "has already identified thousands of high-severity vulnerabilities." On Friday, Japan's Financial Services Agency urged financial institutions to implement short-term countermeasures, including the option to suspend system operations, in response to heightened cyberattack risks posed by sophisticated AI, officials said. The agency has launched a framework for public- and private-sector officials to discuss stronger responses to Claude Mythos, consulting with the Bank of Japan and major banks. © KYODO