Anthropic, the AI startup renowned for its Claude chatbot, is reportedly in early discussions about launching one of the largest initial public offerings (IPOs) as early as next year, according to sources close to the matter cited by the Financial Times. The startup has engaged the law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, known for its work on significant tech IPOs such as those of Google, LinkedIn, and Lyft, which signals a serious commitment to exploring public listing options.
Under the leadership of CEO Dario Amodei, Anthropic is pursuing a substantial private funding round that could value the company at over $300 billion. This funding round reportedly includes a $15 billion combined investment from tech giants Microsoft and Nvidia. While the discussions around the IPO with major investment banks have taken place, they have been described as preliminary and informal.
If these plans come to fruition, Anthropic could be in direct competition with OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, which is also rumored to be laying groundwork for its own public offering. Both companies would be entering the market at a time when investor sentiment towards loss-making AI startups is under scrutiny amid concerns of a potential AI bubble.
An Anthropic spokesperson responded to inquiries by stating that it is standard for companies of their scale and revenue to act as though they are publicly traded, while clarifying that no decisions regarding the timing or commitment to an IPO have been finalized. Efforts to obtain comments from both Anthropic and Wilson Sonsini were unsuccessful.
Internally, Anthropic is reportedly preparing for a potential IPO, although specific details regarding these preparations have not been disclosed. This news follows recent strategic changes within the company, including the hiring of Krishna Rao, a former executive at Airbnb who played a pivotal role in that company’s IPO in 2020.
Reports indicate that Anthropic’s valuation has surged to approximately $350 billion following major investments, including $5 billion from Microsoft and $10 billion from Nvidia. In its competitive quest to surpass OpenAI in the AI domain, the startup is also investing heavily in infrastructure, with plans for a $50 billion build-out that includes new data centers in Texas and New York, along with an increase in its international workforce by threefold.
Investors appear optimistic about the implications of Anthropic’s potential IPO, as it could enable the company to “seize the initiative” from its rival OpenAI. While there have been speculations surrounding OpenAI’s IPO intentions, its CFO recently indicated that the company is not currently pursuing a near-term listing, despite completing a $6.6 billion share sale at a valuation of $500 billion in October.
