State Department tells diplomats to deny AI kill switch

U.S. Secretary of State Marco Rubio has instructed American diplomats to counter a growing international narrative that the United States government holds a "kill switch" over critical American technology, particularly advanced artificial intelligence. The directive, issued in a State Department cable dated July 16, aims to manage diplomatic fallout from the Trump administration's brief decision in June to restrict foreign access to leading U.S. AI models.

The controversy stems from a June 12 order that blocked foreign nationals from accessing Anthropic's most advanced AI models, Mythos and Fable, citing national security concerns. Although the restriction was lifted later the same month, the abrupt action sent shockwaves through allied capitals. Officials in Europe and Asia interpreted the move as proof that essential technologies underpinning their economies and public services could be disabled overnight by a foreign government. The episode fueled immediate calls for greater digital sovereignty and prompted tech executives abroad to promote homegrown AI alternatives.

In the cable, Rubio provides diplomats with talking points to reject the "kill switch" characterization. It...