AI Startup Challenges US Export Limits on Anthropic’s Advanced Models
An artificial intelligence startup utilising Anthropic PBC’s AI models has initiated legal action against the US government regarding an order that mandates the developer of Claude and Mythos to restrict access to its most advanced technology from foreign nationals. The suit, filed Tuesday in federal court in Washington, follows closely on the heels of Anthropic’s decision to disable access to its most advanced AI models — Fable 5 and Mythos 5 — in reaction to the Trump administration’s export control measures. Legion, a litigation-technology firm specialising in the development of tools for attorneys, is headquartered in the United States. However, it has indicated that its software development team comprises Canadian nationals who operate from Canada. Legion stated in its filing that Anthropic’s decision to terminate access to the Fable 5 model resulted in the company “lost the latest tool at the center of its development instantaneously.”
Legion stated that the damage to the company was “immediate, irreparable and existential”, emphasising that the rapid and competitive nature of AI development means that any lost ground during the model’s unavailability cannot be regained. “Each day the directive remains in force disrupts Legion’s product, operations, sidelines its engineers, and erodes the company’s ability to survive in a field defined by continuous access to the most capable models,” Legion said in its filing. In a statement, an Anthropic spokesperson expressed gratitude to the administration for its efforts to expedite the resolution of the situation. “We remain committed to collaborating with the government to achieve our mutual objectives of safeguarding critical infrastructure and ensuring that the US maintains its leadership in AI,” according to the statement.
Defendants identified in the lawsuit encompass Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, who cautioned Anthropic Chief Executive Officer Dario Amodei in a correspondence that the company must obtain government authorisation prior to exporting its Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models beyond the United States, or to foreign nationals in any jurisdiction. Legion co-founder and Chief Executive Officer Arthur Rothrock stated that he chose to initiate the lawsuit due to his belief that the government’s action establishes a perilous precedent. “Who’s to say they can’t do this any other time against another company, like OpenAI?” he stated.
