Asian AI startups launch Mythos-like models as US export ban drags on
Asian AI startups are unveiling models that rival Anthropic's banned Mythos, as the US export restrictions remain in place.
On Wednesday, Chinese cybersecurity firm 360 unveiled Tulongfeng, an AI tool it claims can go head-to-head with Anthropic's Mythos—a cybersecurity-focused model currently banned from export outside the US along with its restricted version, Fable 5, by the Trump administration.
Earlier this week, Tokyo-based startup Sakana AI launched Fugu, a model named after the Japanese word for blowfish. The company says this frontier AI model "stands shoulder-to-shoulder with leading models like Anthropic's Fable 5 and Mythos Preview." It is designed for agents, with the ability to orchestrate access to other models via their APIs.
The US government's ban, preventing Anthropic from global access to Mythos and Fable, took effect two weeks ago. A Sakana AI spokesperson told TechCrunch the release was "entirely coincidental," but the company is capitalizing on the moment. Its website advertises "delivering frontier capability without the risk of export controls."
Sakana, co-founded in 2023 by former Google researchers Ren Ito, Llion Jones, and David Ha, produces affordable generative AI models that work well with small datasets and are optimized for Japanese language and culture. The company is targeting Fugu at Japanese businesses and government agencies looking to reduce their exposure to tightening export controls.
Meanwhile, China's 360 unveiled two AI security tools. Tulongfeng is designed for automatic software vulnerability discovery, and Yitianzhen automates cyber defense and incident response. Founder Zhou Hongyi described the vulnerability-finding AI as a national strategic asset and flagged the risk of "one-way transparency."
Anthropic's run-rate revenue crossed $47 billion in May 2026. While the share from Asian customers is unknown, since the export order took effect, at least two companies—one in Tokyo, one in Beijing—have stepped into the space left behind.
