Anthropic, the AI firm known for its Claude series, is reportedly considering the rollout of a new artificial‑intelligence model before it goes public. The move is intended to counter the momentum gained by OpenAI after the September launch of its GPT‑6 Astra model, sources familiar with the discussions said.
Safety‑First Approach
CEO Dario Amodei recently urged the broader AI community to slow the pace of capability upgrades, citing safety concerns in a 3,800‑word essay published on September 12. The essay warned of autonomous AI agents potentially overwhelming internet infrastructure and outpacing human oversight. Amodei’s call for caution was echoed by OpenAI chief Sam Altman and SpaceX founder Elon Musk.
Competitive Pressure from OpenAI
OpenAI’s GPT‑6 Astra, released on September 3, has quickly attracted enterprise users, showing strong uptake in areas such as software engineering, cybersecurity and professional workflows. According to corporate‑expense platform Ramp, Astra now accounts for roughly 13% of enterprise AI spending, up from about 8% for Anthropic’s Claude Fable.
OpenRouter, a platform that routes developer traffic across AI models, reported that users spent more on OpenAI models than on Anthropic’s last week – a shift not seen in over two and a half years.
Financial Context and IPO Timing
Anthropic’s annualized revenue run rate reached over $65 billion by the end of July, up from about $9 billion at the close of 2025. The company projects 2028 revenue of $190‑$200 billion. By comparison, OpenAI’s run rate passed $40 billion in July.
Investors are closely watching the timing of Anthropic’s initial public offering. Sources say the company may delay its IPO until after the November U.S. midterm elections, though the elections are not expected to materially affect the offering. The IPO timeline has already been pushed back from earlier plans that targeted mid‑October marketing.
Balancing Profitability and Safety
Internal discussions are weighing the trade‑off between accelerating model releases and preserving the safety‑first reputation that differentiates Anthropic from rivals. Rising interest rates have heightened investor focus on profitability and cash‑flow generation, prompting the firm to evaluate how a new model could bolster its market position without compromising safety standards.
Broader Industry Challenges
Beyond the Anthropic‑OpenAI rivalry, the AI sector faces growing competition from open‑source and open‑weight models, which can lower token costs and enable companies to develop in‑house AI capabilities. This trend could pressure the economics of commercial AI providers, expanding the competitive landscape beyond the direct race between Anthropic and OpenAI.
Meta Platforms, one of Anthropic’s largest customers, is reportedly scaling back its use of Claude models as it builds internal AI tools. Meta declined to comment on the matter.
OpenAI’s Public‑Market Plans
OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman confirmed that the company will not pursue a public listing in 2026, citing AI safety concerns as a key factor in the decision.
Anthropic declined to comment on the potential model launch or its IPO timeline for this story.
Original reporting: Appleton, WI News Feed (HLL/CB) — read the source article.
