For almost two weeks, high-ranking team members at Anthropic have been in talks with the Trump Administration, trying to get a highly restrictive export control directive lifted. According to a new report from Wired, these talks weren’t going well, and that was at least in part because CEO Dario Amodei was involved, but it’s being reported that since Amodei left the talks, things are looking up.
Per Wired, the White House is now talking to Tom Brown, another Anthropic co-founder (that’s his entire job title according to his LinkedIn). An anonymous person involved in the calls reportedly told Wired “Tom Brown is not being a weirdo like Dario and can actually engage.” Amodei was reportedly hard to deal with, and, Wired’s sources claim, wasn’t being a good listener.
Past reporting has claimed Amodei has a tendency to “rant” and that he “cannot control his emotions.” If you’ve ever seen videos of Amodei, including ones made in friendly circumstances, you’ll know his natural facial expression is a bit queasy, that he has a trumpet-like speaking voice, that he waves his arms when he speaks, and that he will sometimes not just break eye contact but tilt his whole head toward the ground while speaking.
Judging from what’s online, Brown has an overall nervous nerd speaking style, but a much warmer and more traditionally personable version. He seems to smile easily, and his voice is much softer and steadier than Amodei’s.
Wired says Brown is working on the talks alongside Sarah Heck, Anthropic’s Head of Public Policy. Her conversation style—again, from what’s online—comes across as enthusiastic and on-message, but also quite disciplined and cautious, the attributes a job as head of public policy would likely require.
Anthropic needs the White House to clear its Claude Fable 5 AI model, the most advanced frontier model Anthropic makes available to consumers, for general use once again. Anthropic calls Fable 5 a “Mythos-class” model, meaning it’s made with the same core technology as Claude Mythos Preview which Anthropic deemed too dangerous to be accessed by the public.
Fable 5 came ostensibly stripped of capabilities that made it a potential cybersecurity threat, but according to multiple sources, Amazon researchers notified the White House shortly after it was released that jailbreaks could supposedly remove these safeguards easily. Before learning about the jailbreak issue, the White House was reportedly already worried that potential bad actors affiliated with Chinese interests had accessed the model, so it issued the export control order about three days after Fable 5 was released. It required Anthropic to prevent non-U.S. nationals from using Fable 5 (along with another, much more exclusive model, Mythos 5).
Anthropic announced that it had pulled Fable 5 offline on June 12. Talks between Anthropic and the White House began shortly thereafter.
The developments highlight the ongoing tension between AI companies and government regulators, particularly when it comes to advanced frontier models. Anthropic, founded by former OpenAI employees including Amodei and Brown, has positioned itself as a safety-focused AI company. Yet the Fable 5 incident underscores the challenges of ensuring that powerful AI systems are not misused, especially in an era of heightened geopolitical competition.
Dario Amodei, who previously served as Vice President of Research at OpenAI, co-founded Anthropic in 2021 with the goal of building safe and beneficial AI. His leadership style has been increasingly scrutinized as the company navigates complex regulatory landscapes. Critics within the industry have described him as brilliant but abrasive, with a communication style that can alienate stakeholders. The shift to Brown, who is known for his collaborative approach, appears to be a strategic move to smoothen relations with government officials.
Tom Brown, who holds a PhD in computer science from Stanford, is less well-known publicly but has been instrumental in Anthropic’s technical development. He is credited with contributions to the company’s underlying architecture and safety research. His appointment as the lead negotiator signals a tactical pivot towards diplomacy and patience over confrontation and passion.
Sarah Heck, Head of Public Policy at Anthropic, brings over a decade of experience in technology policy and government relations. Before joining Anthropic, she held roles at major tech companies and served as a policy advisor in the Senate. Her presence in the talks reinforces the seriousness with which Anthropic is approaching the regulatory hurdle.
The export control order, issued under the Trump administration, reflects a broader effort to restrict access to advanced AI capabilities to adversarial nations. The specific concern with Fable 5 is that its capabilities could be weaponized through jailbreaks, enabling malicious actors to exploit the model for cyberattacks or other harmful activities. Amazon researchers, who have close ties to the White House due to the administration’s reliance on AWS for other initiatives, were instrumental in flagging the vulnerability.
Since Fable 5 was taken offline, Anthropic has worked with the White House to demonstrate that the model can be made secure. The company has implemented additional safeguards and has invited third-party auditors to review its protocols. The positive turn in negotiations suggests that these efforts are proving effective.
Industry observers note that the case of Fable 5 could set a precedent for how future advanced AI models are reviewed and approved for public use. The balance between innovation and safety remains a central debate in artificial intelligence. Anthropic’s experience illustrates that even companies built on safety principles can face significant regulatory pushback.
The timeline for Fable 5’s return to market remains uncertain, but sources close to the talks indicate that progress is accelerating. With Brown and Heck leading the charge, the tone of discussions has shifted from adversarial to constructive. The White House is reportedly impressed by the transparency and accountability measures Anthropic is willing to adopt.
Meanwhile, Dario Amodei’s future role at the company is being evaluated. Some board members have expressed support for him continuing as CEO, but focusing more on technical vision rather than government relations. Others believe a permanent leadership change might be necessary to maintain productive relationships with regulators and partners.
The broader implications for the AI industry are significant. As governments worldwide tighten controls on advanced AI, the ability to effectively communicate with policymakers is becoming as important as the technology itself. Anthropic’s successful pivot from Amodei to Brown could serve as a case study for other companies facing similar challenges.
In the coming weeks, all eyes will be on whether Fable 5 is allowed to operate without export restrictions. If the talks continue on their current trajectory, Anthropic may soon announce a resolution. The outcome will not only affect the company's bottom line but also shape the regulatory landscape for frontier AI models globally.
Source: Gizmodo News