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Asian AI startups launch Mythos-like models as Anthropic’s export ban drags on
On Wednesday, Chinese cybersecurity firm 360 unveiled Tulongfeng, an AI tool it claims can rival Anthropic’s Mythos—a cybersecurity-focused AI model so powerful the Trump administration has banned its global access, along with its restricted version Fable 5. Earlier the same week, Tokyo-based Sakana AI launched Fugu, a frontier model named after the Japanese word for blowfish, designed for agents and capable of orchestrating access to other models via APIs. Sakana says Fugu “stands shoulder-to-shoulder” with Anthropic’s Fable 5 and Mythos Preview. The two Asian AI products emerge as the U.S. export ban on Anthropic’s models continues. A Sakana spokesperson told TechCrunch the timing was “entirely coincidental,” but the company has capitalized on it, advertising “delivering frontier capability without the risk of export controls.” Sakana, co-founded in 2023 by former Google researchers Ren Ito, Llion Jones, and David Ha, makes affordable generative AI models optimized for Japanese language and culture. Fugu targets Japanese businesses and government agencies seeking to reduce exposure to tightening export controls. However, Sakana does not see a permanent shift away from U.S. AI in Asia. “U.S. models remain important to Asia,” the spokesperson said, echoing Ito’s remarks at the G7 summit. Sakana co-founder David Ha described Fugu as more than a land grab during a vulnerable moment for U.S. competitors, emphasizing that “orchestration models are the next frontier.” He warned against relying on a single provider, noting that “access to top models can disappear overnight.” Meanwhile, 360’s announcement included two tools: Tulongfeng for automated vulnerability discovery and Yitianzhen for cyber defense and incident response. Founder Zhou Hongyi called vulnerability-finding AI a national strategic asset, warning of “one-way transparency” where some actors gain advanced capabilities while others do not. Anthropic’s run-rate revenue crossed $47 billion in May 2026, but its export ban has opened space for Asian alternatives. Two companies—one in Tokyo, one in Beijing—have stepped in, offering local models better tuned to regional language and nuance.