Carney Warns U.S. AI Export Controls Expose Risks of Technology Dependence

Canadian Prime Minister Mark Carney has warned that recent U.S. restrictions on advanced artificial intelligence models highlight the risks of excessive dependence on a small number of American technology providers.

Speaking in Ireland ahead of the G7 Summit in France , Carney said the decision by AI company Anthropic to restrict access to its latest AI models, Fable 5 and Mythos 5 , demonstrates the need for countries to diversify their technology ecosystems and build domestic capabilities.

Anthropic announced that it had taken the models offline for foreign nationals in compliance with a directive from the Trump administration aimed at limiting international access to the most advanced AI systems. The move is widely viewed as one of the most significant U.S. efforts so far to control the global distribution of cutting-edge artificial intelligence technologies .

“The situation we're in collectively right now with Mythos and Fable is something that can happen with overreliance on certain models,” Carney said, adding that governments and businesses must draw lessons from the episode and avoid relying on a single source for critical technologies.

Carney noted that artificial intelligence will be a major topic of discussion among leaders at the G7 summit. He also revealed that he had held extensive discussions on AI with French President Emmanuel Macron , describing the challenges surrounding the technology as complex and far-reaching.

The Canadian leader linked the issue to Ottawa's broader efforts to diversify trade and technology partnerships . Canada currently sends more than 70 percent of its exports to the United States, and Carney has set a target of doubling non-U.S. exports over the next decade amid ongoing trade tensions and investment uncertainty .

The new U.S. restrictions underscore the growing role of AI export controls as governments seek to prevent advanced technologies from being used in ways that could affect national security, cybersecurity, and strategic competitiveness . The debate is increasingly tied to technology sovereignty, the ability of countries to maintain independent access to critical digital infrastructure and innovation.

For Canada, the restrictions reinforce concerns about reliance on foreign technology providers and strengthen the case for investing in domestic AI capabilities , diversified partnerships, and resilient technology supply chains. As AI becomes a key driver of economic and geopolitical influence, access to advanced models is emerging as an important strategic issue for governments worldwide.