What is Mythos AI and why could it be a threat to global cybersecurity? | AI (artificial intelligence)
Publish Date: 2026-04-22 11:04:00
Source Domain: www.theguardian.com
Anthropic has ruled out releasing its latest AI model, Mythos, to the public because of the threat it poses to global cybersecurity.
However, the US tech startup behind the Claude chatbot confirmed on Wednesday it was investigating a report that a group of people had gained unauthorised access to Mythos. The alleged incident has raised concerns over the pace of development and the ability of tech companies to keep their riskiest products out of the public domain. Here, we examine Mythos and its potential impact.
What is Mythos?
Mythos is an AI model – the underlying technology that powers tools like chatbots – that, according to Anthropic, represents a serious potential threat to any organisation’s cybersecurity. Anthropic announced the existence of Mythos on 7 April but said it would not be released publicly because of its ability to identify unknown flaws in IT systems. Those flaws could, theoretically, be exploited by hackers.
Anthropic said Mythos could identify and exploit “zero-day” flaws in every major IT operating system and web browser – if a user asked it to do so. Zero days are so-called because organisations and developers are completely unaware of them and have had no time to patch them before an assailant strikes.
Anthropic described it as a “watershed moment for cybersecurity.” Some of the unnoticed flaws had been around for decades, said the San Francisco company.
The startup has allowed tech companies and banks, including Apple and Goldman Sachs, to access the model and assess what risks it could pose to their businesses and customers.
Anthropic announced Project Glasswing on 8 April to allow businesses to test Mythos on cybersecurity. Photograph: Samuel Boivin/NurPhoto/Shutterstock
Why is it a cause for concern?
Mythos represents tangible evidence, according to the UK’s AI Security Institute (AISI), of the disruptive capabilities of advanced AI. Ever since the arrival of OpenAI’s ChatGPT in 2022, experts have warned that AI could…
