From GPT-2 to Claude Mythos: The return of AI models deemed 'too dangerous to release'

Editor's take

Anthropic has opted not to release its Claude Mythos Preview model, citing significant safety concerns identified through extensive testing. This mirrors OpenAI's earlier decision with GPT-2 in 2019, but Anthropic provides concrete evidence in the form of thousands of identified vulnerabilities.

The significance lies in Anthropic's commitment to a more cautious release strategy, a departure from the rapid, broad deployment seen with models like GPT-3 and Llama 2. This approach acknowledges the growing awareness within the AI community about the potential for misuse and unforeseen consequences of powerful LLMs, impacting researchers, developers, and the public discourse around AI safety.

Future developments to monitor include whether other major AI labs adopt Anthropic's rigorous internal testing and staged release approach. The industry will also be watching for the specific nature of the vulnerabilities Anthropic discovered and how they are addressed in future, potentially public, iterations of Claude.