The White House’s decision to block foreigners’ access to Anthropic’s cutting-edge AI model looks set to dominate a G7 summit that opens today in France.
The sudden move sparked alarm among Western allies: The EU said the decision underlined the bloc’s need for “technological sovereignty,” while Canada’s leader argued it showcased the risk of relying on a small cluster of powerful US tech firms.
Such so-called middle powers have largely trailed in the AI race behind the US and China, with American efforts in particular dwarfing those of transatlantic rivals: France’s leading AI firm, Mistral, is reportedly in talks to raise funding at a valuation of about $23 billion — roughly 40 times smaller than Anthropic’s estimated valuation.
