The Global Story: The AI model that’s ‘too powerful’ to be released to the public

The Global Story: The AI model that’s ‘too powerful’ to be released to the public

Author: BBC World Service April 19, 2026 Duration: 27:32

Anthropic - one of Silicon Valley’s leading AI firms - recently announced that they have built a model which is too dangerous to be released to the public.

Instead, they are only giving access to the model to a handful of big companies, to help them find security vulnerabilities.The company says the model has already found weak spots in “every major operating system and web browser”. Is this a genuine example of a company acting responsibly, or more of a carefully calibrated publicity move?

We speak to the BBC’s North America tech correspondent, Lily Jamali, about whether this is a watershed moment.

The Global Story brings clarity to politics, business and foreign policy in a time of connection and disruption. For more episodes, just search 'The Global Story' wherever you get your BBC Podcasts.

Producers: Viv Jones and Aron Keller

Digital producer: Matt Pintus

Mix: Travis Evans

Executive producer: James Shield

Senior news editor: China Collins

Credit: Jurassic Park (1993) / Dir: Stephen Spielberg / Universal Pictures

Photo: Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei. Reuters/Denis Balibouse.


Staying informed means navigating a constant stream of events, and the Global News Podcast from the BBC World Service provides a grounded, thorough digest of that flow. This isn't just a headline service; it's a twice-daily briefing that situates you within the day's most pressing stories, particularly focusing on complex, unfolding situations. Right now, that means dedicated coverage from across the Middle East, including Iran, Israel, Lebanon, and the Gulf states, offering clarity on regional dynamics and their global implications. Alongside that essential regional focus, the podcast consistently pulls back for a wider lens, bringing reports and context from every corner of the world. What you'll hear is the BBC's signature blend of on-the-ground reporting and measured expert analysis, all designed to build understanding rather than just summarize events. For a reliable, in-depth audio briefing that updates each weekday morning and evening, this podcast delivers a comprehensive picture of our world as it happens.
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