The U.S. Department of Commerce has moved to resolve months of regulatory friction with AI startup Anthropic PBC, signaling an easing of export restrictions on its advanced models ahead of a potential public listing.
In an interview with Bloomberg Television, U.S. Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick stated that Anthropic has aligned its safety and compliance framework with the Trump administration’s priorities, marking a shift from the brief but contentious regulatory scrutiny that emerged in June. During that period, the Department of Commerce temporarily restricted exports of Anthropic’s Fable 5 and Mythos 5 AI models, citing national security concerns. The restrictions were lifted two weeks later after the company implemented revised safeguard protocols.
The resolution follows a federal judge’s ruling in San Francisco last week ordering the government to lift military procurement restrictions against Anthropic. The decision underscores a legal victory for the startup, which had faced Pentagon designations as a supply chain risk and subsequent suspensions of military use of its technologies over disputes regarding mandatory safety safeguards.
Lutnick made the remarks on the sidelines of a Group of 20 technology summit in North Carolina, where Anthropic co-founder Tom Brown appeared alongside him. Brown publicly endorsed the administration’s push to accelerate domestic data center and energy infrastructure development, framing it as critical to supporting AI innovation.
The easing of tensions coincides with Anthropic’s preparations for a potential Initial Public Offering (IPO), one that market observers anticipate could rival or surpass SpaceX’s record public debut. The startup’s valuation has been a subject of speculation, with industry analysts noting that a successful IPO would mark a significant milestone for the AI sector.
However, the scope of the reconciliation remains uncertain beyond the executive level. The Pentagon has not indicated whether it will reverse its prior designations or procurement restrictions, leaving questions about the broader federal government’s stance on Anthropic’s technologies.
