UK banks’ inability to access Anthropic’s powerful AI model Mythos underscores the urgent need for Britain to build its own AI capabilities and adopt a more strategic approach to the technology, according to Harriet Rees, chief information officer at Starling Bank.

Building AI Infrastructure

Rees, who was appointed ‘AI champion’ by the finance ministry in January, emphasized the need for Britain to build AI infrastructure and models, and develop skills so that the country is not fully reliant on U.S. tech providers.

Rees stated that ‘now is the time for us to think very strategically about what we need to do to protect our leading position moving forward. Time really is of the essence, we don’t have two years here.’ U.S.-based Anthropic released Mythos in April to a select group that included U.S. lender JPMorgan.

Mythos and Cybersecurity

Banks want Mythos because it is said to be the most advanced AI model for identifying cybersecurity vulnerabilities, helping them patch weaknesses more quickly and strengthen their defenses. In Britain, only a very small number of banks – mainly the UK operations of U.S. lenders – were granted access, according to Rees.

A package of recommendations on AI policy and regulation has been developed by Rees and fellow ministry appointee Rohit Dhawan, Lloyds Banking Group’s head of AI, to boost the use of AI in the UK. The proposals aim to increase transparency and strengthen the resilience of AI firms on which banks already depend.

Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.