New Delhi: Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman has raised concerns that an advanced AI model called ‘Claude Mythos’, developed by US-based Anthropic, could pose a serious cyber-security risk to the banking sector. She held a high-level review meeting with heads of various banks to assess preparedness.
According to the information discussed, the model is said to be capable of identifying thousands of subtle security flaws that humans may miss, including vulnerabilities that had remained hidden for decades. Due to its powerful hacking potential, it has reportedly not been released for public use.
However, reports that some unauthorised individuals may have used the technology recently have triggered fresh alarm. The meeting focused on the possible risks such tools could create for banks’ IT systems and customer data.
Union IT Minister Ashwini Vaishnaw also attended the review. In a statement, the Finance Ministry said the threats posed by such AI tools are unprecedented and require heightened awareness, readiness and stronger coordination among banks and financial institutions.
Sitharaman instructed banks to take preventive measures to protect their technology infrastructure and customer information. She also advised the Indian Banks’ Association to work on a coordinated mechanism to enable quicker responses to emerging threats.
