Don't Worry About the Vase Podcast The AI Ad-Hoc Prior Restraint Era Begins
May 5, 2026
A dive into the White House blocking expansion of a major AI project and why that matters. Discussion of ad hoc government vetoes and the risks of arbitrary prior restraint on model releases. Review of pre‑release screening systems and how they could be enforced. Exploration of sensible AI policy tools like export controls, guardrails, and maintaining multiple providers.
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White House Vetoed Anthropic Mythos Expansion
- The White House blocked Anthropic from expanding Mythos access, signaling executive control over model deployment.
- Zvi Moshowitz says Anthropic honored the veto despite unclear legal authority, setting a concerning political precedent.
European Push Met With White House Refusal
- European pressure pushed Anthropic to widen Mythos access, but the White House refused despite Anthropic wanting to comply.
- Zvi questions whether the refusal was security-driven or geopolitical punishment of Europe.
Ad Hoc Prior Restraint Era Begins
- Zvi labels this shift an "ad hoc prior restraint era" where model releases may require government permission.
- He warns ad hoc crisis-driven responses produce worse outcomes than preplanned rules and enable arbitrary power.