European lawmakers criticize Anthropic for AI policy hearing representation

Based on information from Politico EU, European policymakers expressed dissatisfaction with AI company Anthropic's representation during a hearing concerning the risks of advanced AI capabilities. Lawmakers had specifically requested the presence of Anthropic's head of public policy, but the company instead sent a technical employee, Donny Greenberg, who joined the company in April.

The hearing, the first of its kind in Brussels regarding advanced AI risks, focused on Anthropic's cyber-capable models, Mythos and Fable, which are capable of identifying and exploiting software vulnerabilities. European institutions have sought access to these models, concerned about potential risks to critical infrastructure. Lawmakers voiced frustration that Greenberg, identifying himself as a technical expert rather than a policy specialist, might be unable to address their policy-related questions. This was exacerbated by the perception that Greenberg was reading his responses, leading to questions about whether he was relying on AI for his answers.

Anthropic stated that it is working with the EU's AI Office and cybersecurity agency, ENISA, to enhance cyber resilience, acknowledging AI as a dual-use tool. The incident highlights the growing geopolitical and business complexities surrounding the testing and deployment of advanced AI models.

Source: Politico EU