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NSA spies are reportedly using Anthropic's Mythos, despite Pentagon feud
In Brief Posted: 9:06 AM PDT · April 20, 2026 Image Credits:Getty Images The National Security Agency is said to be using Mythos Preview, Anthropic’s recently announced model that it withheld from public release, Axios reports. The news comes weeks after the NSA’s parent agency, the Department of Defense, labeled Anthropic a “supply chain risk,” after the company refused to allow Pentagon officials unrestricted access to its model’s full capabilities. Anthropic announced Mythos earlier this month as a frontier model designed for cybersecurity tasks, but claimed the model was too capable of offensive cyberattacks to be released publicly. As a result, the AI firm limited access to Mythos to around 40 organizations, of which it has publicly named only a dozen. The NSA appears to be among the undisclosed recipients, and is said to be using Mythos primarily for scanning environments for exploitable vulnerabilities. The UK’s AI Security Institute has also confirmed it has access to Mythos. The U.S. military’s expanding use of Anthropic’s tools comes as it simultaneously argues in court that those tools can threaten national security. The Pentagon’s dispute originated when Anthropic refused to make Claude available for mass domestic surveillance and autonomous weapons development. The NSA’s access to Mythos comes as Anthropic’s relationship with the Trump administration appears to be thawing. Last Friday, Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei met with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and Secretary of the Treasury Scott Bessent. The White House reportedly called the meeting productive. TechCrunch has reached out to the NSA for comment. Anthropic declined to comment. Topics Subscribe for the industry’s biggest tech news Latest in Government & Policy
NSA Reportedly Adopts Anthropic's Mythos Tool Despite Pentagon Security ...
The US National Security Agency (NSA) is using Anthropic’s most advanced artificial intelligence model, Mythos Preview, even as the Department of Defense (DoD) officially labels the company a “supply chain risk,” according to a report from Axios published over the weekend. The disclosure underscores a growing split within the federal government, where military leadership has clashed with the AI firm, yet intelligence agencies appear to be deepening their reliance on its tools for cybersecurity work. Mythos Deployed Despite Pentagon Blacklist Axios reported that two sources said the NSA is using Mythos, while a third indicated the model has been adopted more broadly within the Department of Defense. Anthropic has restricted access to the model to roughly 40 organizations, citing the risk that its offensive cyber capabilities could be misused if widely distributed. The company has publicly identified only 12 of those organizations. According to Axios, the NSA is among the unnamed agencies that received access, with most institutions reportedly using Mythos to scan for exploitable vulnerabilities in their environments. The United Kingdom’s counterparts to the NSA have also confirmed access to the model through the country’s AI Security Institute. Unresolved Feud With The Pentagon The tension dates back to February, when the DoD moved to cut off Anthropic and directed its vendors to do the same. The case is ongoing, and the Pentagon has argued in court that continued use of Anthropic’s models could threaten US national security. The dispute flared during contract renegotiations earlier this year. The Defense Department pressed Anthropic to make Claude available for what it called “all lawful purposes,” while the company pushed to bar specific applications, particularly mass domestic surveillance and the development of autonomous weapons. Some defense officials view Anthropic’s stance as evidence that it cannot be trusted in critical military scenarios, a claim the company has rejected. White House Steps Into Mediation Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei met with White House chief of staff Susie Wiles and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent last Friday to discuss government deployment of Mythos and the company’s broader security practices. Both sides described the meeting as productive, according to Axios, with next steps expected to focus on how departments outside the Pentagon can engage with the model. Anthropic and the Pentagon declined to comment. The NSA ...
The NSA is reportedly using Anthropic's new model Mythos
Despite the months-long feud between Anthropic and the Pentagon, the National Security Agency is using the AI company's new Mythos Preview, according to Axios, which spoke to two sources with ...
US' NSA Using Anthropic's Mythos AI Model Despite Pentagon's 'Supply ...
The NSA is using Anthropic's advanced AI model Mythos Preview even as the Pentagon labels the company a supply chain risk. The tool, restricted to about 40 organisations for its cyber ...
