The Trump administration's recent restrictions on foreign use of Anthropic's latest artificial intelligence (AI) services have sparked discussions among allied nations about technological independence. With the U.S. confirming its ability to restrict access to advanced AI for security reasons, calls are growing in Europe to reduce reliance on American technology.
According to reports from Bloomberg and others on June 17, the U.S. government issued export control guidelines on June 12, prohibiting Anthropic from providing its latest AI models, Mitose5 and Fable5, to foreign users. As a result, Anthropic has suspended access to these services.
This decision is seen as a clear indication that AI models themselves can fall under U.S. government control. While allied nations have previously utilized American AI technology for governmental and corporate purposes, this incident has raised concerns about the risks of over-reliance on technology from specific countries.
In response, France is expanding its own AI capabilities. Prime Minister Sébastien Le Cornu announced on June 16 that the government will implement tools based on the models of domestic startup Mistral AI. He stated, "France must have its own tools" and emphasized that AI usage cannot be solely entrusted to the goodwill of specific partners.
Additionally, France's General Directorate for Internal Security (DGSI) has chosen to collaborate with domestic firm ChapVision instead of the American data analytics company Palantir. However, since a long-term contract with Palantir was renewed last year, the transition may take several years.
The issue of AI was also a key topic at the recent G7 summit held in Évian, France. G7 representatives discussed potential measures to provide advanced models from U.S. companies to select allied nations, reflecting efforts to ensure access for allies following the restrictions on Anthropic.
Reactions in European political circles have been critical. German Member of the European Parliament Alexandra Geese remarked, "This action shows that the U.S. government views Europe not as a friend and ally, but as an adversary." Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney also pointed out, "This highlights how excessive dependence on specific models can make nations vulnerable."
Industry experts suggest that this situation could serve as a catalyst for reducing reliance on U.S. technology. Florian Dueto, CEO of French AI startup DataKu, stated, "It is no longer feasible for rational companies to depend solely on one model based in another country."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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