Asian AI Rivals Emerge Amid US Export Ban on Anthropic

New AI models from Asian startups are emerging following a US export ban on Anthropic's powerful AI. Chinese cybersecurity firm 360 recently unveiled Tulongfeng, an AI tool it claims rivals Anthropic's Mythos. Mythos is reportedly so powerful, the US government has banned its export to non-Americans. Earlier this week, Tokyo-based Sakana AI launched Fugu, a model they say stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Anthropic's Fable 5 and Mythos Preview. Sakana AI states the timing of Fugu's release was coincidental, but their website highlights "delivering frontier capability without the risk of export controls." Sakana co-founder Ren Ito emphasizes that US models remain important to Asia, advocating for preserving access for allies rather than hoarding AI technology. This development shows how global AI access is becoming a key issue.