Anthropic vaults to a $965 billion valuation with new funding as Claude demand surges
Anthropic announced a $65 billion funding round, pushing its valuation to $965 billion and surpassing OpenAI in market value, while launching Claude Opus 4.8 and reporting $47 billion in annualized revenue. The company faces legal challenges from the U.S. government over AI use in warfare and is in discussions with the White House about cybersecurity risks tied to its Mythos model.
Anthropic, the San Francisco-based AI company behind the Claude chatbot, disclosed on Thursday it secured $65 billion in private funding, elevating its valuation to $965 billion. This surge positions Anthropic as one of the world’s most valuable startups, surpassing rival OpenAI, which holds an $852 billion valuation after its own recent funding round. Anthropic reported annualized revenue of $47 billion, driven by demand for Claude’s capabilities in coding and professional tasks. The funding round was led by investment firms Altimeter Capital, Dragoneer Investment Group, Greenoaks Capital, and Sequoia Capital. Anthropic’s chief financial officer, Krishna Rao, stated the funds will address high demand, maintain research leadership, and expand Claude’s accessibility in professional environments. The company also introduced Claude Opus 4.8, an upgraded AI model claiming superior performance in coding and work-related applications. Anthropic’s rapid growth contrasts with ongoing challenges, including a legal dispute with the Trump administration over AI’s role in warfare. The Pentagon previously labeled Anthropic a supply chain risk after a public clash with CEO Dario Amodei, leading to a lawsuit still pending in federal courts. Meanwhile, the company is engaging with the White House to discuss cybersecurity risks associated with its advanced Mythos model, which remains restricted from public use. Despite its financial success, Anthropic remains unprofitable, mirroring trends at other high-profile AI firms like OpenAI and SpaceX, which also merged with Elon Musk’s xAI to reach a $1.25 trillion valuation. Musk’s recent plans for a major stock sale and OpenAI’s legal victory over a lawsuit filed by Musk—who accused the company of abandoning its nonprofit roots—further highlight the competitive and regulatory pressures shaping the AI industry.
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