Sam Altman critiques Anthropic's Mythos amidst promotion of $100bn shelter

Sam Altman accused Anthropic of attempting to use "fear-based marketing" for selling Claude Mythos, its new AI creation.

"It's truly remarkable marketing to claim, 'We've made a bomb. We're about to drop it on you. We'll sell you a bomb shelter for $100 million to secure all your assets, but only if we choose you as a client,'" Altman mentioned to podcaster Ashlee Vance in an episode of Vance's "Core Memory" podcast published on Tuesday.

Others in the tech sector have questioned Anthropic's choice to restrict the public release of Claude Mythos, choosing instead to allow only select companies a glimpse of its capabilities.

"There are individuals who, for quite some time, have preferred keeping AI within a small circle," Altman stated. 

"There are numerous justifications for this — some valid, due to legitimate safety concerns. But if what you're aiming for is, 'AI should be controlled solely by us because we can be trusted,' fear-based marketing is likely the most effective justification."

Opposingly, Altman expressed his trust in OpenAI's guidelines and protections. He noted that "highly risky models will need particular methods of release," but OpenAI aims for broader dissemination.

"The mission is to benefit all, and at the same time, I wouldn't say market this, but rather engage the world in this journey, assuring them that we're providing more potent tools, where responsibility accompanies that power," he said. "We strive to equip the world for as much achievement as possible."

Earlier this month, Anthropic declared that Claude Mythos wouldn't be released due to its proficiency in spotting cybersecurity weaknesses. 

Instead, Anthropic launched "Project Glasswing", granting access to only 11 organisations, including giants like Google, Microsoft, Amazon Web Services, Nvidia, and JPMorgan Chase.

During the conversation, Altman hinted that Anthropic played a role in an incident at his residence. 

The OpenAI leader's declarations are certain to heighten the existing fierce competition between Altman and Anthropic's CEO Dario Amodei, who departed from OpenAI to establish a leading competitor.

"The doomerism narrative hasn't been beneficial. The way certain entities represent us isn't helpful," Altman commented, adding, "The manner in which Anthropic discusses OpenAI is unhelpful too."