Carney flags risks in Anthropic AI model ahead of G7 summit

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney said the need for diversity and redundancy in artificial intelligence development aligns with his broader policy objective of reducing dependence on a single partner or system.

That approach is most evident in Canada's efforts to diversify its trade relationships and reduce its heavy reliance on the United States. The issue has gained urgency amid trade tensions with the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump, which has imposed significant tariffs on key Canadian exports, including automobiles and steel. The U.S. government has also pressured Canada to reconsider digital sector taxes affecting companies in Silicon Valley.

Despite those differences, Carney said there is a "good flow of information" between the Canadian and U.S. governments regarding artificial intelligence. He added that U.S. officials have identified "some risks" associated with Anthropic's latest AI model.

Carney, who previously served as governor of both the Bank of Canada and the Bank of England and worked as a banker at Goldman Sachs Group, compared current concerns about AI to the lessons learned during the 2008 global financial crisis.

Drawing on that experience, he said the crisis demonstrated the dangers of systemic interconnections among major institutions. "We have similar things in terms of model risk" in artificial intelligence, he said, arguing that policymakers and industry leaders should pursue greater redundancy and diversity within the sector.

Artificial intelligence is expected to be a major topic at the upcoming Group of Seven summit in France. Carney said he has already discussed the issue with French President Emmanuel Macron.

Several leading figures from the AI industry are expected to participate in a G7 luncheon on Wednesday, including Anthropic Chief Executive Officer Dario Amodei and OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman.

"We need to make progress" on artificial intelligence, Carney said, while cautioning that "there will not be a mission accomplished banner that comes out of the G7."

By Tamilla Hasanova