Anthropic, the AI company behind the Claude chatbot, has filed confidentially for an initial public offering on the US stock market, marking a significant milestone in its rapid ascent. The filing, announced in a brief blog post, did not specify a timeline or number of shares, but it positions Anthropic ahead of rival OpenAI, which is expected to file for its own IPO soon.
This development comes just a week after Anthropic leapfrogged OpenAI to become the world's most valuable startup, raising $65 billion in funding at a $965 billion valuation, surpassing OpenAI's $852 billion. Anthropic was valued at $380 billion in February, but explosive revenue growth, driven largely by its popular coding tool Claude Code, is expected to deliver its first profitable quarter in June.
Once a smaller player, Anthropic's meteoric rise has placed it neck-and-neck with OpenAI in industry dominance. The filing is a triumph for CEO Dario Amodei, a former OpenAI employee. OpenAI's competing coding product, Codex, has not matched Claude Code's success. Anthropic's cybersecurity AI, Claude Mythos, also made headlines in April for its bug-finding capabilities, while OpenAI's similar product received little attention.
The reversal of fortune for ChatGPT's maker represents a remarkable loss of first-mover advantage, potentially affecting investor appetite. SpaceX, Anthropic, and OpenAI are all expected to debut on the stock market this year, adding at least three trillion dollars in value. If OpenAI continues to lose ground, Sam Altman may become vice president to Amodei's president.
Pope Leo Warns Against AI, Sits with Anthropic Co-Founder
In his first major encyclical on technology, Pope Leo denounced the "culture of power" driving AI's rapid rise, warning that the technology must be subject to rigorous ethical constraints as it infiltrates work, war, and the environment. Beside the pontiff sat Chris Olah, co-founder of Anthropic, sparking questions about the alliance between the Catholic Church and the world's most valuable AI startup.
Critics questioned how Anthropic could align with the pope's warnings when its technology may replace workers. Pete Furlong of the Center for Humane Technology noted that Anthropic's technology is designed to replace people, contradicting the pope's message. Timnit Gebru of DAIR called the alliance "Vatican-washing," suggesting the church should partner with exploited workers instead.
Olah's presence is a savvy move for both sides. The encyclical's title, "Magnifica Humanitas" (Magnificent Humanity), echoes Anthropic's name meaning "relating to humans." The alliance burnishes Anthropic's safety-first brand while positioning the pope as a critic on the cutting edge. Francine Prose praised the encyclical for addressing AI's profit-driven dangers, emphasizing the need for moral values to protect the weak.
Silicon Valley Billionaires Pour Cash into California Primaries
Silicon Valley's billionaires have made California's primary elections the costliest in state history, spending heavily to gain political and regulatory leverage as they race to develop AI. Google co-founder Sergey Brin has spent $66 million since January to fight a billionaires' tax on the November ballot. Democratic gubernatorial candidate Matt Mahan has received more tech donations than any other candidate, including from top executives at Google, Amazon, Snap, LinkedIn, Reddit, and Palantir.
Crypto mogul Chris Larsen has funded three Super PACs with $26 million, including $1 million to back a candidate for state insurance commissioner. Google and Meta have poured $10 million into a Super PAC supporting assembly and senate candidates. Tech-backed PACs are also influencing city primaries with voter guides on local tax measures.
