Thoughts from a Certified Psychologist: Why We Are Shaken by the Sudden Shutdown of a Top-Tier AI

If one morning, a tool you always used suddenly stopped working without any warning—how would you feel?

The other day, something very close to that happened in the world of AI. Just days after its release, a model touted as having the highest performance was shut down overnight by government order.

Working in the medical field, I have increasingly relied on generative AI over the past year to organize clinical records and draft documents. So, when I saw this news, I felt a sense of unease—not just as a matter of technology or politics, but as a more personal experience of 'something I relied on suddenly disappearing.'

Today, I would like to unpack the nature of that unease together, using the mechanisms of the human mind.

What happened, as accurately as possible

First, let's calmly confirm the facts.

On the evening of June 12, 2026, Anthropic stopped access to its cutting-edge models, 'Claude Fable 5' and 'Claude Mythos 5,' for all users. The trigger was an 'export control directive' issued by the U.S. government citing national security. The directive arrived at 5:21 PM U.S. Eastern Time (6:21 AM on the 13th, Japan Time). The company explained that while the restriction was originally intended only for foreign users, it is difficult to perfectly distinguish nationality over the internet, and as a result, they had no choice but to stop service for all customers.

The government was concerned about a technique called 'jailbreaking' that bypasses Fable 5's safety mechanisms. In response, Anthropic argued that the vulnerabilities found through this technique were very minor and at a level where the same could be done with other widely available models, such as OpenAI's GPT-5.5. They also stated that they had conducted thousands of hours of verification with the U.S. government and the UK AI Safety Institute before the release.

Incidentally, only these two models were stopped; Opus, Sonnet, and Haiku, which many people use daily, remain available as usual. This is likely the first time a major AI company has taken a model it once released offline due to government intervention.

That is what happened 'on the outside.' Now, I want to talk about what happens 'on the inside' of us.

Why are we so shaken?

I believe many people felt a vague sense of unease upon hearing this news. And that is not because you are a worrier or because you are too dependent on AI. It is because the human mind is built that way.

I will explain the reasons in three parts.

First, humans have a psychological tendency to feel the 'pain of loss' more strongly than the 'joy of gain'. In behavioral economics, it is said that losses are felt about twice as heavily as gains of the same magnitude. The regret of losing 10,000 yen lingers in the mind longer than the joy of receiving 10,000 yen. That is the feeling. When a convenient tool we were using disappears, our minds perceive the 'loss' with a weight that far exceeds the actual inconvenience.

Second, uncertainty itself is a major source of stress for people. 'When will it come back?' 'What will be stopped next?'—this state of limbo drains the mind more than clear, bad news. It is very similar to how your legs feel heavy when walking through a thick, endless fog.

Third, the more you rely on something, the greater the impact when you lose it. For those who had deeply integrated it into their daily work, this shutdown was likely more than just 'news.' This is not limited to AI. If there is only one bridge across a river, the moment that bridge collapses, you cannot cross to the other side. Our lives and work can sometimes become entirely dependent on a 'single bridge' without us even realizing it.

Three things I want to take away from this event

What I want to emphasize here is not to stir up anxiety. Rather, I want to take this event as a 'challenge to rethink the form of our dependency.' It is not about enduring or suffering, but an opportunity to strengthen our own footing.

I will summarize the three things I want to take away.

First, do not rely on a single lifeline. There is an old proverb that says, 'Don't put all your eggs in one basket,' but this is not just about investing. Whether it is the tools you use for work or your emotional support, if you rely on only one thing, everything stops when it disappears. If it is AI, have multiple models or methods available. In technical terms, this is a 'multi-model strategy,' but essentially, it is the idea of building two or three bridges instead of just one.

The second point is to decide in advance on a 'backup plan' for when it stops.Even if it suddenly becomes unusable like this time, just having a plan in your head—'if this doesn't work, I'll switch to that'—will keep you from panicking. Psychologically, people are less likely to be swallowed by anxiety when they feel that 'there is still something I can do.' Focusing on the parts you can control—this is something I often confirm with people in difficult situations in clinical settings as well.

The third point is not to rely too heavily on convenience and to keep using your own hands.AI is a wonderful partner, but if you entrust everything to it, the moment it disappears, you will be left with nothing. While letting tools help you, keep the muscles for thinking and writing within yourself. If you do that, even if the strongest tool disappears, your own value will not.

We have entered an era where convenient tools can disappear overnight. However, if you look at it differently, I think it is also an era where each of us can re-choose what to rely on and what to keep in our own hands.

Conclusion

Finally, let's look back at what I shared today.

First, this shutdown was due to government export control directives, and only the two latest models were stopped. If you calmly grasp the facts, there is no need to be overly afraid.

Second, the reason we are shaken when convenient tools disappear is that the human heart is built to be vulnerable to the 'pain of loss' and 'uncertainty.' The anxiety you felt is a perfectly natural reaction.

Third, that is precisely why you should not rely on just one thing. Decide on a backup plan. Keep using your own hands. These three things will become a flexible foundation for walking through an era of great instability.

Tools change, disappear, and appear again. However, the power to re-choose what to rely on and what to keep for yourself is always on your side. You are a person who can stand on the side of choosing within change, rather than being swayed by it. Today's small review will be the first step toward that.

Thank you very much for staying with me until the end. I would be happy if today's article serves as an opportunity for you to think about your steps from tomorrow onwards.

#GenerativeAI #AIUtilization #Claude #Fable5 #Psychology