US Treasury and Fed Meet Banking Leaders Over Anthropic AI Risks
- Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell convened an urgent meeting with the heads of major U.S.
- The meeting took place at the Treasury Department's headquarters in Washington, D.C., while the bank executives were already in the city for a Financial Services Forum board meeting.
- Several leaders of the largest American financial institutions attended the closed-door session, including:
U.S. Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell convened an urgent meeting with the heads of major U.S. Banks on April 7, 2026, to address cybersecurity risks posed by Anthropic’s latest artificial intelligence model, Mythos.
The meeting took place at the Treasury Department’s headquarters in Washington, D.C., while the bank executives were already in the city for a Financial Services Forum board meeting. The gathering was called as a special session to discuss potential systemic threats to the U.S. Financial system resulting from the advanced capabilities of the new AI model.
Attendance and Executive Participation
Several leaders of the largest American financial institutions attended the closed-door session, including:
- Brian Moynihan, CEO of Bank of America
- Jane Fraser, CEO of Citigroup
- David Solomon, CEO of Goldman Sachs
- Ted Pick, CEO of Morgan Stanley
- Charlie Scharf, CEO of Wells Fargo
JPMorgan Chase CEO Jamie Dimon was invited to the meeting but was unable to attend.
The Mythos Model and Cybersecurity Risks
Anthropic released Mythos on April 7, 2026, in a limited capacity. The company opted against a wide release due to the model’s advanced capabilities, which Anthropic stated have uncovered vulnerabilities in major web browsers and operating systems.
The developer expressed concern that these capabilities could be exploited by hackers. In a statement regarding the model, Anthropic noted:
Anthropic
Given the rate of AI progress, it will not be long before such capabilities proliferate, potentially beyond actors who are committed to deploying them safely. The fallout—for economies, public safety, and national security—could be severe.
Project Glasswing and Defensive Initiatives
On April 7, 2026, Anthropic announced the formation of Project Glasswing. This initiative is a collaboration with several major technology companies, including Nvidia, Apple, and Amazon, aimed at using the Mythos model to strengthen cybersecurity defenses.
Anthropic described Project Glasswing as an urgent attempt to put these capabilities to work for defensive purposes
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Government and Regulatory Response
The surprise nature of the meeting between the bank chiefs and the top federal monetary regulators indicates that the Trump administration views advanced AI capabilities as a top concern that could threaten the foundation of the U.S. Financial system.
A Treasury Department spokesman stated that the agency is urging financial institutions to prepare for these new security threats. He further noted that the White House has been leading a core interagency taskforce, which includes the Treasury, to execute a plan to ensure the protection of the United States and its citizens.
The spokesman added that President Trump and the administration are continuing to engage on AI security in a thoughtful manner
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The Federal Reserve declined to comment on the meeting when contacted by CNBC.