Bankers meet Sitharaman on cyber threats from Anthropic's Mythos AI
What's the story
Senior executives from public sector banks and other lenders met with Finance Minister Nirmala Sitharaman on Thursday. The meeting focused on the potential risks posed by artificial intelligence (AI), including its disruptive potential for the financial sector. One of the key concerns discussed was cybersecurity threats linked to Anthropic's new AI model "Mythos." There are fears that such systems could make it easier to identify and exploit software vulnerabilities.
Risk assessment
RBI, NPCI assess Mythos risks
The Reserve Bank of India (RBI) is said to be working with banks, government stakeholders, and global central banks. The aim is to assess the risks posed by AI models like Mythos and their potential impact on the financial ecosystem. Meanwhile, the National Payments Corporation of India (NPCI) is also looking for early access to Mythos ahead of its rollout. This is part of an effort to evaluate potential risks for the payments infrastructure.
Official stance
Need for strong financial system amid tech shifts
The Department of Financial Services (DFS) has issued its first official comment on Mythos. Secretary M Nagaraju stressed the need for a resilient and strong financial system amid emerging technological shifts. He emphasized that technology, including AI, will play an increasingly important role in the sector and can enable more lending through AI-driven underwriting.
Policy flexibility
AI as enabler, not just disruptor
Nagaraju also stressed that AI should not be seen just as a disruptor but also as an enabler. He called for closer collaboration between governments, regulators, and technology providers. He further said that policy frameworks should remain flexible while addressing risks like cybersecurity threats and market volatility to sustain growth. This comes amid global concerns over Mythos with regulators in the US, UK, and Canada recently stepping up coordination to assess potential risks from the model.