Asian startups challenge Anthropic with innovative models
The battle for supremacy in artificial intelligence has taken a new chapter in Asia. While Anthropic faces an export ban on its Mythos and Fable 5 models, Asian startups are seizing the opportunity to launch their own solutions. In China, the cybersecurity company 360 introduced Tulongfeng, a model that promises to compete directly with Mythos. Meanwhile, in Japan, Sakana AI launched Fugu, a model that not only rivals American giants but is also optimized for Japanese culture and language.
Sakana AI, founded by former Google researchers, is targeting Japanese companies and government agencies looking to reduce their dependence on American technologies. Although Sakana is not declaring a definitive break from U.S. models, the company sees Fugu as a way to maintain access to cutting-edge technologies without the risks of export restrictions. The idea is clear: diversify to avoid dependence on a single supplier.
Meanwhile, China's 360 is not just launching models but also sending a strategic message. Tulongfeng, designed to discover software vulnerabilities, and Yitianzhen, focused on cybersecurity defense, are seen as strategic national assets. Zhou Hongyi, founder of 360, highlighted the risk of "unilateral transparency," where only a few have access to advanced vulnerability detection capabilities.
Opportunities amid restrictions
The U.S. government's decision to restrict access to Anthropic's models has opened the door for companies like Sakana and 360 to gain prominence. Sakana, for example, is capitalizing on the moment, promoting Fugu as a cutting-edge solution without the risks of export control. The model was developed with a focus on small databases, making it accessible and efficient for the Japanese market.
David Ha, co-founder of Sakana, sees Fugu as more than just a market opportunity. He believes that orchestration models are the next step beyond larger models. The idea is to coordinate the use of different models, avoiding the concentration of power in a single supplier. "Collective intelligence is the practical answer against this concentration," Ha stated.
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