US Dept of Commerce in the headlines as US policy shifts on AI, tariffs, and trade data amid global tensions. DOC collects data, sets standards, and boosts economic growth. Brief: a federal cabinet dept led by the Secretary of Commerce.
Recent US employment data indicates a slowdown in job growth, with February's payrolls declining by 92,000 and the unemployment rate rising to 4.4%. The job market remains fragile amid global uncertainties, including geopolitical tensions and inflation concerns, with revisions to previous months' data highlighting ongoing volatility.
US GDP growth slowed sharply in Q4 2025, dropping to 1.9%, with consumer spending and government investment declining. The trade balance turned positive, but the job market weakened, raising concerns about economic resilience amid geopolitical tensions and policy impacts.
Prices have climbed at the fastest pace in nearly three years, driven by a 21% March spike in gasoline costs amid the Iran conflict. GDP growth is steady, while consumer spending and business investment show divergent signals; the central banks face a policy dilemma as inflation pressures mount.
Anthropic has said the US Commerce Department has issued an export-control directive requiring it to suspend access to its new Fable 5 and Mythos 5 models for foreign nationals. The company has disabled the models for all users to ensure compliance, disputes the government's evidence and is working to restore access.
The United States has tightened export controls on the most advanced AI models, restricting access for foreign nationals. Anthropic has widely released Fable, a limited version of Mythos, but access remains constrained due to cybersecurity concerns. Anthropic says the action is a misunderstanding and hopes to restore access soon; the Commerce Department has not commented. The move follows a presidential directive aimed at vetting national security risks in AI before public release.