In the second of a three-part series on Anthropic’s powerful Mythos artificial intelligence model, we examine the effect it has had on China’s cybersecurity and finance industries.

US start-up Anthropic’s new AI model, Claude Mythos Preview, has drawn global attention for its ability to autonomously identify and exploit cybersecurity vulnerabilities at a level that appears to surpass conventional tools used in enterprise and financial systems.

The model has not been made publicly available, with Anthropic instead granting limited access to selected organisations for controlled testing. While the company’s services remain unavailable in China, its release has nonetheless sparked discussion about its potential impact on China’s cybersecurity and finance industries.

Why are Chinese cybersecurity firms rallying?

In China, official reactions and public discussions around Mythos have been relatively muted compared with the rest of the world – the exception being China’s cybersecurity industry.

Following Anthropic’s Mythos announcement on April 7, shares of major Chinese cybersecurity firms including Qi An Xin, Sangfor Technologies and 360 Security Technology rose for several consecutive days, reflecting growing expectations that demand for AI-driven cybersecurity and compliance solutions could accelerate.

Austin Zhao, a senior research manager at IDC China, said the strong market reaction highlighted the sector’s close attention to Mythos, adding that while its capabilities had been anticipated, the model’s actual performance still surprised many.

The technology could drive up cybersecurity costs as firms increase spending on personnel, infrastructure and advanced protection systems, while also creating new opportunities for AI-based security services, said James Gong, legal director at the law firm Bird & Bird.

Recent developments in China also point to growing capabilities in AI-driven vulnerability discovery. For example, 360 Security Technology claimed it had developed an AI-powered “vulnerability discovery agent” that identified hundreds of previously unknown flaws, including in widely used software such as Microsoft Office, according to a report published on Wednesday by Chinese cybersecurity research group Natto Thoughts.