Asian AI Startups Launch New Models Amidst US Export Ban
On Wednesday, China’s prominent cybersecurity company, 360, reportedly introduced Tulongfeng, a sophisticated AI tool that is positioned as a counterpart to the renowned Anthropic Myth. This announcement comes in the wake of the Trump administration’s decision to ban this cybersecurity-focused AI model, along with its more restricted variant, Fable 5, from being accessed by non-American entities.
Sakana AI’s Strategic Launch of Fugu
Earlier the same week, Sakana AI, an innovative AI startup based in Tokyo, unveiled Fugu, a frontier AI model inspired by the Japanese word for pufferfish. The company asserts that Fugu “stands alongside leading models like Fable 5 and Anthropic’s Mythos Preview.” Fugu is specifically designed for agents, facilitating the orchestration of access to other models through their APIs.
The introduction of these new Asian AI models aligns with the US government’s ongoing export ban, which was implemented two weeks ago to restrict Anthropic from sharing Mythos and Fable globally.
Coincidental Timing or Strategic Opportunity?
A spokesperson from Sakana AI informed TechCrunch that the timing of their model’s release was “entirely coincidental.” Nonetheless, the company has leveraged the situation, promoting its model with the message of “offering border capacities without the risk of export controls.”
According to the spokesperson, “Sakana Fugu is something we’ve been building for the last year – the research behind it was presented at ICLR this spring. It reflects an approach central to how we deliver industry-leading value at Sakana AI. We were confident in the product on its own merits; the timing just happened to get it more attention than expected.”
Sakana AI’s Founders and Vision
Founded in 2023 by David Ha and Llion Jones, both former Google employees, alongside Ren Ito, a former executive at Mercari and Stability AI, Sakana AI offers cost-effective generative AI models optimized for small datasets and the Japanese language and culture.
While Sakana AI primarily targets Japanese companies and government agencies aiming to minimize their exposure to tightened export controls, it has not yet declared a permanent shift away from U.S. AI models in Asia.
A Sakana AI spokesperson emphasized, “American models remain important for Asia,” echoing co-founder Ren Ito’s remarks at the G7 summit in Evian, where AI access and export controls were key topics. “We would characterize the current moment in these terms rather than as a permanent realignment towards any particular group of actors.”
In an op-ed for Project Syndicate, Ren Ito urged the US federal government to prioritize preserving access for America’s closest allies, arguing that “AI should not become a hoarded technology; it should be developed together.”
Fugu: A Strategic Hedge, Not a Replacement
David Ha, co-founder and CEO of Sakana, described Fugu as more than just a strategic move amidst a vulnerable time for a U.S. competitor. It is designed to coordinate agent usage across multiple models.
“Orchestration models are the next frontier, beyond larger models,” wrote Ha on X. He highlighted the risks of relying on a single vendor for national infrastructure, a concern heightened by recent export controls. “Access to top models can disappear overnight,” he noted. “Collective intelligence provides practical protection against this concentration of power.”
360’s Strategic Positioning with Tulongfeng
In contrast to Sakana’s hedging strategy, China’s 360 has reportedly launched two AI security tools without such reservations. Tulongfeng is designed to automatically discover software vulnerabilities, while Yitianzhen focuses on automating cyber defense and incident response.
According to Reuters, 360 founder Zhou Hongyi described vulnerability-scanning AI as a national strategic asset, warning against “one-way transparency,” where some actors could access advanced vulnerability-detection capabilities while others could not.
Market Dynamics Post-Ban
Anthropic was on a significant growth trajectory, with revenues reportedly exceeding $47 billion in May 2026. While the extent of its dependence on Asian corporate clients remains unknown, the market dynamics have shifted since the export order took effect. Companies in Tokyo and Beijing have stepped in, with local alternatives trained to better understand local languages and nuances, effectively filling the void.
360 did not respond to a request for comment.
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