Brussels, June 14 - The European Commission said it is assessing the practical consequences for European users following a U.S. export control directive that affected the artificial intelligence developer Anthropic.
The U.S. government ordered Anthropic to suspend access to its most advanced AI models for foreign nationals on national security grounds. In response, Anthropic said on Friday it would "abruptly disable" those models for all users.
A European Commission spokesperson, Thomas Regnier, framed the issue in terms of both opportunity and risk. "We are seeing a new generation of highly capable AI models reach the market. These models offer significant benefits, including for cyber-defence, but they also raise serious cybersecurity concerns that need to be addressed," he said.
Regnier added that any contingency measures put in place in response to such developments should not unfairly single out partners. "We believe that contingency measures taken in this light should not be discriminatory against partners," he said.
The spokesperson also linked the incident to wider strategic considerations. "This development is a further illustration of why Europe needs to strengthen its technological sovereignty," Regnier said. "We are looking closely at the practical consequences of this for European users of these services."
The public remarks from the Commission underline concern about immediate operational implications for users in Europe who rely on advanced AI services, while also signaling a political preference for reduced dependence on technology subject to external restrictions.
Market references within the context of the report included the ticker ANTP.
Regnier's comments emphasize three interconnected themes: the arrival of highly capable AI models and their dual-use potential for areas such as cyber-defence; the cybersecurity risks these models may pose; and the importance of ensuring that emergency or protective measures do not become discriminatory toward partners or users.
For now, the Commission said it is examining the situation to understand the tangible effects on European entities that use these AI services and to assess appropriate responses that avoid discriminatory outcomes.