Anthropic considers releasing new AI model ahead of IPO, sources say
Anthropic is considering rolling out a new AI model to counter OpenAI’s momentum since its competitor’s launch of GPT-6 Astra, according to three sources, ahead of an expected initial public offering (IPO) and after its CEO called for an industrywide slowdown.
uncertain
CEO → consider → slowdown
The timing of a potential launch aimed at addressing competitive pressure from a direct rival follows Anthropic chief executive officer Dario Amodei’s call on the global AI community to slow down the pace of releasing new capabilities to address safety concerns, the sources said.
asserted
sources → aim → concerns
“We must slow the pace at which we improve the capabilities of AI models,” he wrote in a 3,800-word essay on Sept 12.
asserted
he → slow → Sept
The essay, which painted a bleak picture of swarms of AI agents taking over the internet and outpacing human control, drew support from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and SpaceX CEO Elon Musk.
asserted
swarms → paint → Altman
OpenAI’s GPT-6 Astra, released this month, has gained traction among businesses, prompting concerns among some investors who told Reuters they are re-evaluating Anthropic’s position as the leading provider of enterprise AI tools.
asserted
they → release → tools
Anthropic is evaluating the safety of its next model as part of its deliberations over a release, one of the people familiar with the matter said.
asserted
one → evaluate → matter
Some of the discussions involve how to balance investment in releasing new models with efforts to strengthen the company’s profitability as rising interest rates make investors more focused on the timing of expected profits, said people familiar with the company’s thinking.
asserted
people → involve → thinking
The debate over spending highlights the increasing pressure on the firms at the centre of the AI boom to produce sustainable cash flows sooner, thanks both to rising rates and tough competition from open-source AI providers, especially in China.
asserted
debate → highlight → China
Anthropic declined to comment for this story.
asserted
Anthropic → decline → story
The potential launch would test how Anthropic can defend its enterprise market position against OpenAI while maintaining the safety-first identity that has distinguished it from competitors.
asserted
that → test → competitors
OpenAI’s GPT-6 Astra gains enterprise traction
asserted
Astra → gain → traction
OpenAI released GPT-6 Astra on Sept 3, touting gains in computer use, software engineering, cybersecurity and professional work.
asserted
OpenAI → release → use
The model has received a strong response from enterprise users and developers, prompting potential Anthropic IPO investors to scrutinise whether OpenAI could begin taking market share from Anthropic, which has been viewed for months as the leader in enterprise AI.
uncertain
which → receive → AI
Astra accounted for about 13 per cent of enterprise AI spending tracked by corporate expense platform Ramp, compared with about 8 per cent for Anthropic’s Claude Fable, according to the latest data.
uncertain
Astra → account → data
Astra has also pulled ahead on OpenRouter, a widely used platform that routes developer traffic across AI models.
asserted
that → pull → models
OpenRouter said its users spent more on OpenAI models than on Anthropic models last week, the first time OpenAI has led on that measure in more than 2½ years.
asserted
OpenAI → say → years
Anthropic maintains revenue advantage
asserted
Anthropic → maintain → advantage
Some existing investors and those who expect to invest in both Anthropic’s and OpenAI’s IPOs said they do not believe Astra poses a significant threat to Anthropic, given the size of its lead in the market for enterprise AI tools and the amount of time it takes to unseat incumbent vendors to large companies.
asserted
it → exist → companies
Anthropic’s annualised revenue run rate topped US$65 billion by the end of July, up from about US$9 billion at the end of 2025.
asserted
rate → top → 2025
It is also projecting a 2028 revenue of roughly US$190 billion to US$200 billion, Reuters previously reported.
asserted
Reuters → project → billion
OpenAI’s annualised revenue run rate passed US$40 billion in July.
asserted
rate → pass → July
Investors also expect leadership among Anthropic, OpenAI, Alphabet’s Google and other major AI developers to shift repeatedly as companies release new generations of models, making any advantage potentially short-lived.
asserted
advantage → expect → models
Bigger challenges ahead
A potentially bigger challenge for Anthropic and other leading AI providers is the rise of open-source and open-weight models, which can lower token costs and allow companies to build more of their own AI infrastructure rather than rely on providers such as Anthropic and OpenAI, investors said.
asserted
investors → lead → Anthropic
The shift could put pressure on the economics of the AI industry as companies have more options to develop and run models outside the leading commercial providers, broadening the competitive threat beyond the race between Anthropic and OpenAI.
uncertain
companies → put → Anthropic
Meta Platforms has been among Anthropic’s largest customers, but is looking to reduce its use of Anthropic’s models as it develops more AI capabilities internally, people familiar with the matter said.
asserted
people → look → matter
Meta did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
asserted
Meta → respond → comment
OpenAI, meanwhile, has taken some pressure off the race to public markets.
asserted
OpenAI → take → markets
Its CEO, Altman, confirmed on Sept 12 that the company would not go public in 2026, saying concerns around AI safety made this an ill-advised time for a listing.
asserted
this → confirm → listing
Anthropic could push its IPO to after the November US midterm elections, with the elections not expected to have a major impact on the offering, according to two people familiar with the matter.
uncertain
elections → push → matter
The IPO has already been pushed back from earlier plans, with Reuters previously reporting that marketing was expected to begin in mid-October at the earliest.
asserted
marketing → push → earliest
The Aporia
