Asian AI startups launch rival models as US export ban on Anthropic’s Mythos drags on

Two Asian AI startups have launched new models this week that directly compete with Anthropic’s recently restricted Mythos and Fable systems, as a U.S. government export ban on those technologies enters its third week. The moves signal a growing regional push to fill gaps left by American export controls.

New models emerge from Tokyo and Beijing

On Wednesday, Chinese cybersecurity firm 360 unveiled Tulongfeng, an AI tool designed to automatically discover software vulnerabilities, alongside Yitianzhen, a system for automated cyber defense and incident response. The company claims Tulongfeng can go head-to-head with Anthropic’s Mythos, the cybersecurity-focused AI model that the Trump Administration banned from export to non-Americans two weeks ago.

Earlier in the week, Tokyo-based Sakana AI launched Fugu, named after the Japanese word for blowfish. The company says this frontier AI model “stands shoulder-to-shoulder with leading models like Anthropic’s Fable 5 and Mythos Preview.” Fugu is designed for agent-based tasks and can orchestrate access to other models through their APIs.

Timing and market context

The launches come as the U.S. government’s export ban on Anthropic’s Mythos and Fable models continues. The order, issued two weeks ago, prevents Anthropic from providing global access to these systems. A Sakana AI spokesperson told Bitcoin World that the timing of Fugu’s release was “entirely coincidental,” but acknowledged the company is capitalizing on the moment. Its website advertises “delivering frontier capability without the risk of export controls.”

“Sakana Fugu is something we have been building since last year — the research behind it was presented at ICLR this spring, and it reflects an approach that is central to how we deliver frontier-level value at Sakana AI,” the spokesperson said. “We were confident in the product on its own merits; the timing simply happened to coincide with a moment that brought it more attention than we expected.”

Sakana AI’s strategy: hedge, not replace

Sakana, co-founded in 2023 by former Google researchers Ren Ito, Llion Jones, and David Ha, focuses on affordable generative AI models optimized for Japanese language and culture. While targeting Fugu at Japanese businesses and government agencies looking to reduce exposure to tightening export controls, the company does not see this as a permanent shift away from U.S. AI.

“U.S. models remain important to Asia,” the spokesperson said, echoing remarks co-founder Ren Ito made at the G7 summit in Evian last week. “We’d characterize the current moment in those terms rather than as a permanent realignment toward any one set of players.”

In an op-ed published in Project Syndicate last week, Ito urged the U.S. federal government to “preserve access” for its closest allies, arguing that “AI should not become a technology that is hoarded; it should be one that is developed together.”

Orchestration as the next frontier

David Ha, co-founder and CEO of Sakana, described Fugu as more than just a land grab during a vulnerable moment for U.S. competitors. It is designed to coordinate agent usage among many models. “Orchestration Models are the next frontier, beyond bigger models,” he wrote on X. Relying on a single provider for national infrastructure, he argued, is a risk the recent export controls made impossible to ignore. “Access to top models can disappear overnight,” he wrote. “Collective intelligence is the practical hedge against this concentration of power.”

China’s 360 takes a different approach

While Sakana positioned Fugu as a hedge strategy, China’s 360 was not hedging. According to Reuters, 360’s founder Zhou Hongyi described vulnerability-finding AI as a national strategic asset, and flagged what he called the risk of “one-way transparency” — a situation in which some actors could access advanced vulnerability-detection capabilities while others could not. 360 did not respond to a request for comment.

Impact on Anthropic and the broader market

Anthropic had been on a historic growth trajectory, with the U.S. AI lab reporting run-rate revenue of $47 billion in May 2026. How much of that depends on Asian enterprise customers is not publicly known. But in the weeks since the export order took effect, at least two companies — one in Tokyo, one in Beijing — have stepped into the space it left behind.

Even if U.S. companies could win back trust should the ban ever end, local alternatives trained to better understand local language and nuance are already filling the gap. The developments suggest a reshaping of global AI access that could have lasting implications for the industry.

Conclusion

The launch of rival models by Sakana AI and 360 underscores a growing regional response to U.S. export controls on frontier AI. While the long-term market dynamics remain uncertain, the immediate effect is clear: Asian enterprises now have alternatives that reduce dependence on American technology, and the window for U.S. AI dominance in the region may be narrowing.

FAQs

Q1: What is the U.S. export ban on Anthropic’s Mythos and Fable models?
The Trump Administration issued an order two weeks ago banning Anthropic from providing global access to its Mythos and Fable 5 AI models, citing national security concerns. The ban prevents non-Americans from using these systems.

Q2: How do Sakana AI’s Fugu and 360’s Tulongfeng compare to Anthropic’s models?
Sakana AI claims Fugu stands shoulder-to-shoulder with Anthropic’s Fable 5 and Mythos Preview, while 360 says Tulongfeng can go head-to-head with Mythos. Both are designed for specific regional and cybersecurity needs.

Q3: Will Asian companies permanently shift away from U.S. AI models?
Sakana AI says U.S. models remain important to Asia and does not see a permanent realignment. However, local alternatives are gaining traction, and the export ban has accelerated interest in hedging strategies.