Export Controls Just Became Your AI Roadmap's Kill Switch
Anthropic's newest models, Claude Fable 5 and Mythos 5, went dark worldwide on June 12, three days after launch, when a US export-control directive left the company unable to verify user nationality. The controls were fully lifted on June 30 and access is being restored, with Anthropic agreeing to new safety commitments. The episode landed just as Anthropic prepares a reported Q4 IPO that depends on global availability. For PMs, the takeaway is that export policy is now a first-class variable in vendor choice and roadmap planning, not a geopolitical footnote.