Anthropic announces the imminent stock market launch while warning of the "catastrophic risk" of AI

LondonIt could seem like a race to destroy humanity in which whoever raises the most money wins. At the same time that the company Anthropic, the creator of the chatbot Claude, assures that artificial intelligence can pose a "catastrophic or existential" risk to humanity, and that it could destroy millions of jobs, this Monday its managers announced that they have filed the documentation to go public in the United States, on the Nasdaq index.

This initial public offering could surpass the largest in history to date, that of the space rocket and artificial intelligence company of the techno-oligarch Elon Musk, SpaceX, which in its first market session, in the month of June, reached a value of over 2 trillion dollars and raised 86 billion. Some analysts believe that Anthropic could raise up to 100 billion in its first trading session.

The company, which a year ago was valued at 183 billion dollars, could have multiplied its value tenfold in twelve months. Revenues, according to the data presented this Monday, have multiplied by thirteen during the same period, to 16.286 billion dollars. 25%, however, come from five clients. At the same time, however, it has had losses of over 80 billion dollars, which indicates the enormous volatility of the business. As of now, Anthropic has 112.4 billion dollars in cash or equivalent assets.

However, the company highlights that revenue has grown very rapidly: 41 million dollars in 2023, 386 million in 2024, 4.585 billion in 2025 (an increase of more than 1,000%) and the 16.286 billion already mentioned. The company also reveals that, at the end of June, it had raised 141.1 billion dollars.

In mid-November

In the coming weeks, the US Securities and Exchange Commission must review the 400 pages of documentation, including the annexes, and Anthropic, which expects to operate under the name ANT, will have to specify both the market launch date and the number and initial price of the shares.

Specialized media in the United States point out that the launch will take place after the US midterm elections, of next week, and before Thanksgiving, on Thursday, November 26.

The IPO will be a decisive test for the AI sector, as Anthropic is a company focused exclusively on artificial intelligence, unlike other tech giants such as Google and Microsoft, which have other businesses. The listing will make it possible to test to what extent investors are willing to pay for a company with this profile and whether future revenues justify the valuations reached.

The doubt is whether a good part of the growth potential is already priced in. The founders and current shareholders could obtain extraordinary gains, while investors who buy shares after the debut could have a more uncertain margin for appreciation. The recent experience of SpaceX, whose shares have returned to trading near the opening price after an initial rise –from 135 to 161 dollars to settle at the current 148, approximately–, illustrates the risk that small investors may not obtain the expected returns.

Microsoft cuts staff

And while Anthropic casts the bait for the fundraising race, Microsoft also announced this Wednesday that it will offer voluntary redundancies to nearly a quarter of its global workforce, about 60,000 people, in an operation to reduce costs while maintaining a strong investment, precisely, in artificial intelligence. The measure will affect workers in the United States, the United Kingdom, Canada, and India. Both announcements illustrate the tensions of a sector that needs large investments to grow but at the same time faces pressure to contain expenses and demonstrate the economic viability of its projects.