Lowdown: Legal tech firm sues US over Anthropic AI access ban for foreign nationals
A legal tech firm is suing the US government for restricting access to Anthropic's AI models for foreign nationals, arguing the directive exceeds legal authority.Summary
Legion LegalTech has filed a lawsuit against the US government in Washington, DC, challenging a June 12 directive that ordered Anthropic to disable its Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models for all foreign nationals. The legal technology company argues that the government exceeded its statutory authority under export-control laws and the International Emergency Economic Powers Act (IEEPA). The lawsuit contends that no existing export control classification covers hosted AI models or their outputs, as the relevant classification (ECCN 4E091) was rescinded in May 2025. Additionally, the complaint asserts that the directive relied on a mechanism intended for targeted, case-specific restrictions but was applied as a blanket worldwide ban. Legion also claims that the directive conflicts with a June 2 executive order from President Donald Trump and that no national emergency has been declared regarding the models. The lawsuit seeks a declaration that the directive is unlawful, an order setting it aside, and an injunction preventing its enforcement.
(Source：Medianama)
