Anthropic is reportedly gearing up for what could become one of the largest initial public offerings in history, competing with OpenAI in a high-stakes race. The Financial Times reported on Wednesday that the AI startup behind the Claude chatbot is in early discussions about a potential IPO as soon as next year.
For the prospective offering, Anthropic has engaged law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, which has advised on notable tech IPOs for companies like Google, LinkedIn, and Lyft, according to the FT, citing two people familiar with the matter.
Led by CEO Dario Amodei, the company is also exploring a private funding round that could push its valuation above $300 billion, including a $15 billion combined commitment from Microsoft and Nvidia, the report said.
The FT article noted that Anthropic has talked with major investment banks about an IPO, but the conversations are described as preliminary and informal.
If accurate, the development would place Anthropic in a direct IPO trajectory with OpenAI, which is also said to be laying groundwork for a public listing. Such offerings would test investor appetite for AI startups that are not yet profitable amid broader concerns about an AI market bubble.
Anthropic declined to confirm timing or a decision to go public, stating that it operates like a public company at its scale and revenue level, but that no concrete decisions have been made. CNBC did not reach Anthropic or Wilson Sonsini for comment.
One FT source said Anthropic has been internally preparing for a possible listing, though specifics weren’t disclosed.
The FT report follows several notable moves at Anthropic, including the hire of former Airbnb executive Krishna Rao, who played a key role in Airbnb’s 2020 IPO.
Additionally, CNBC reported last month that Anthropic’s valuation could be around $350 billion after investments of up to $5 billion from Microsoft and $10 billion from Nvidia.
In its bid to outpace OpenAI, Anthropic has been expanding rapidly, recently announcing a $50 billion build-out of AI infrastructure with new data centers in Texas and New York, and a threefold increase in its international workforce.
According to the FT, investors are optimistic about an Anthropic IPO, suggesting it could seize the initiative from OpenAI. Meanwhile, OpenAI has signaled that a near-term listing is not on the agenda, despite a $6.6 billion share sale at a $500 billion valuation in October.
