Carney warns US AI export ban exposes Big Tech reliance risks

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney on Sunday warned that a United States export ban blocking foreign access to Anthropic's latest artificial intelligence models exposes the systemic vulnerabilities of over-reliance on dominant technology providers, drawing parallels to the 2008 financial crisis during a visit to Ireland.

Over-reliance risks

Speaking to reporters in Dublin, Carney said that restrictions affecting Anthropic's Mythos and Fable systems illustrate the dangers of concentrated technological dependence. "The situation we're in collectively right now with Mythos and Fable is something that can happen with over-reliance on certain models," he said, referring to the US security concerns that prompted Washington to limit foreign access to the advanced AI tools. "Nobody's done anything wrong in this situation, but we will have done something wrong if we just accept this, don't take the lesson, don't build out and diversify," Carney added, stressing the need for redundancy in critical digital infrastructure.

Carney said the issue reflects his broader policy focus on economic and technological diversification, particularly as Ottawa seeks to reduce its dependence on the US for trade and digital infrastructure. Drawing parallels with the 2008 global financial crisis, he noted that the AI sector faces similar systemic vulnerabilities due to interconnected dependencies. "We have similar things in terms of model risk," he said, adding that countries and companies should seek "redundancy and diversity" in AI development.

G7 summit agenda

The Canadian leader said he had already raised the issue with French President Emmanuel Macron ahead of the upcoming G7 summit in France, where artificial intelligence is expected to dominate the agenda. Leading industry figures including Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman are scheduled to attend the gathering of leaders from the US, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, the United Kingdom, and the European Union. "We need to make progress," Carney said regarding anticipated negotiations, warning that "there will not be a mission accomplished banner that comes out of the G7."

Export restrictions

Washington imposed the export controls on Anthropic's models citing national security risks, limiting international access to the company's most sophisticated AI systems. Carney noted that Ottawa and Washington maintain "a good flow of information" on artificial intelligence policy, though he emphasized that Canada must accelerate efforts to reduce dependence on US digital infrastructure. The G7 meeting is expected to address trade relations, critical mineral supply chains, and the war in Ukraine alongside technological sovereignty concerns.