When Dario Amodei left OpenAI in 2020, the company’s CEO Sam Altian wished him well, expecting that the project that Amodei, his sister Daniela, and other former employees are planning will focus «less on product development and more on research.»
When Dario Amodei left OpenAI in 2020, the company’s CEO Sam Altian wished him well, expecting that the project that Amodei, his sister Daniela, and other former employees are planning will focus «less on product development and more on research.»
«We look forward to a fruitful collaboration with them in the years to come,» Altman wrote in a blog post.
Instead, Amodei has become his former colleague’s main competitor. The artificial intelligence startup Anthropic, which he founded, will end the year with about $10 billion in annual revenue and is growing rapidly. The company is in talks to raise investment at a valuation of more than $300 billion and is preparing for a large-scale initial public offering (IPO).
The company has hired law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati to prepare for a possible initial public offering. An IPO could give Anthropic a better opportunity to raise capital and make large acquisitions — essential for further growth and scaling.
According to media reports, the IPO could take place as early as 2026. At the same time, company representatives said that the decision to go public has not yet been made — the date has not been finally determined. Talks with investment banks regarding the IPO are at an early, informal stage; underwriters have not yet been selected.
After the last round of financing (Series F) in September 2025, Anthropic was valued at approximately $183 billion. According to investment analysts, in a new private round, the valuation could exceed $300 billion.
If the share sale goes through, it could be one of the largest IPOs in the history of the tech sector. A successful Anthropic IPO could boost confidence in AI companies — and spur further investment in the sector.
According to several people who know Amodei, his decision to leave OpenAI and his future work are based on two beliefs: he is capable of creating an all-powerful artificial intelligence better than his former boss, and the world will be safer if he does.
«He has a clear understanding of his path. Dario understands that the mission requires a good business,» says Matt Murphy, a partner at Menlo Ventures, which led Anthropic’s funding round last year.
Investors describe Amodei as someone whose passion for «safe AI» is combined with a keen commercial acumen. «Founders are usually either technical, good at product, or good at sales. Dario is one of the few CEOs I’ve met who combines all three,» says Divesh Makan, founder of Iconiq Capital, which led Anthropic’s latest funding round.
