Anthropic Hires IPO Lawyers, Rushes Towards Listing Ahead of OpenAI

Artificial intelligence startup Anthropic has initiated early preparations for a potential stock market listing, according to a report by the Financial Times.  

The company has engaged the law firm Wilson Sonsini to begin work on what could become one of the largest public offerings in the global technology sector. 

Key Development: Early-Stage IPO Preparations 

Anthropic has held initial and informal discussions with major investment banks, although no final selection has been made. As per the report, the company may be ready to list in 2026, while another expressed caution about the timeline.  

Wilson Sonsini has represented Anthropic since 2022 and has previously advised on major IPOs including Google, LinkedIn and Lyft. 

Market Context and Competitive Landscape 

Anthropic’s planning comes at a time when OpenAI is also exploring a potential listing. Reuters reported that OpenAI may file with regulators in the 2nd half of 2026 and has discussed raising at least $60 billion.  

OpenAI, valued at $500 billion in October, has considered a possible valuation that could reach $1 trillion. Both companies face similar challenges related to rapid expansion and high costs associated with AI model training, which complicate long-term financial projections.  

The valuations being targeted by both firms significantly exceed those pursued by earlier United States technology IPOs. 

Investor Interest and Recent Funding 

According to CNBC, Anthropic’s valuation has recently increased to around $350 billion, rising from $183 billion in September, after fresh investments from Microsoft and Nvidia. In November, Microsoft announced a new partnership with Nvidia and Anthropic to broaden its AI strategy.  

As part of this alliance, Microsoft plans to invest up to $5 billion and Nvidia up to $10 billion in Anthropic. The company will also commit to purchasing $30 billion of Azure compute capacity and will secure additional capacity of up to one gigawatt. 

Read More: Nvidia Invests $2 Billion in Synopsys, Expanding Collaboration on Computing Power! 

Conclusion 

Anthropic’s early groundwork for a future IPO reflects its growing prominence in the global AI industry. Backed by substantial investments and expanding strategic partnerships, the company is positioning itself for a significant public offering.  

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