The AI race isn't Anthropic vs. OpenAI anymore — it's the U.S. government blocking model releases

It’s not about Anthropic vs. OpenAI anymore

The U.S. government is now directly controlling which AI models get released. Two weeks after Anthropic's Fable and Mythos models were pulled, OpenAI's GPT 5.6 is also restricted to a limited preview with customer-by-customer government approval. Altman says the preview may last only a couple of weeks, but Mythos remains stuck in limbo. The piece argues model capabilities now carry real political weight, and dealing with that requires collective industry action beyond company-vs-company competition.

Why it matters: The U.S. government directly intervenes in model releases, blocking two top labs within two weeks. The narrative shifts from company rivalry to policy friction. HKR all hit, high information density, but details still pending, so not 90+ yet.