What Happened to Anthropic, PBC?

Anthropic, PBC, emerged in January 2021 as a public benefit corporation, founded by a group of former OpenAI researchers, including siblings Dario Amodei (CEO) and Daniela Amodei (President). Their departure from OpenAI was driven by concerns over the pace and direction of AI development, particularly a perceived lack of commitment to safety and alignment with human values. This foundational principle of 'constitutional AI' – training AI systems to adhere to ethical and safety guidelines – has been central to Anthropic's strategy and product development.

The company's flagship product, the Claude series of large language models, was initially released in March 2023 after extensive internal safety testing. Claude models are distinguished by their long-context processing, structured reasoning, and cautious responses designed to minimize harmful outputs. Key turning points in Anthropic's growth include substantial funding rounds and strategic partnerships. In March 2025, Google invested an additional $1 billion, and Anthropic raised $3.5 billion in a Series E round, reaching a $61.5 billion valuation. This was followed by a $13 billion Series F round in September 2025, valuing the company at $183 billion.

2026 has been a pivotal year for Anthropic. In February, the company secured a $30 billion Series G funding round, pushing its valuation to $380 billion. This period also saw the release of new products like Claude Code (early 2025, with significant growth in 2026) and Claude Cowork (February 2026), which rapidly gained traction and contributed to a substantial increase in revenue. By May 2026, Anthropic announced a massive $65 billion Series H investment, valuing the company at $965 billion, making it one of the world's most valuable AI pure-play companies.

Consequences of this rapid ascent include increased scrutiny and engagement in geopolitical and regulatory landscapes. Anthropic has forged significant computing partnerships with Amazon, Google, Microsoft, Nvidia, and SpaceX, securing gigawatts of AI infrastructure capacity. However, the company also faced a notable dispute with the U.S. Department of Defense (DoD) in February 2026, when it resisted the military's use of Claude for mass surveillance or autonomous weapons, leading to a 'supply chain risk' designation. A federal judge later ruled this designation unlawful retaliation in August 2026.

As of September 2026, Anthropic's current status is one of intense growth and anticipation. Its annualized revenue run rate exceeded $65 billion by July 2026, up from approximately $9 billion at the end of 2025. The company is reportedly planning an initial public offering (IPO) for Fall 2026, with bankers discussing a potential listing valuation of up to $2 trillion. This would represent one of the fastest valuation increases in business history. Amidst this commercial success, Anthropic continues to grapple with its founding mission of AI safety. A researcher's resignation in September 2026, citing concerns that AI labs are 'gambling with our lives' by racing towards self-improving superintelligence, highlights ongoing internal and industry-wide debates. Furthermore, Anthropic has taken a public stance supporting stricter AI safety legislation in Massachusetts, diverging from some industry peers, and recently quit the Information Technology Industry Council (ITI) over disagreements on chip export bills.