Anthropic Secures $13 Billion in Funding, Valuation Reaches $183 Billion

Anthropic, the AI powerhouse backed by Amazon, has just landed a staggering $13 billion in funding, catapulting its post-money valuation to a whopping $183 billion. This latest injection of capital, announced Tuesday, marks a near tripling of the company’s valuation since its last raise just months ago in March, signaling the blazing-hot confidence investors have in the AI firm’s trajectory.

The Series F round was spearheaded by heavyweight investment firms including Iconiq, Fidelity Management & Research Co., and Lightspeed Venture Partners. Anthropic also saw participation from other notable backers like Altimeter, General Catalyst, and Coatue, solidifying its position as a top contender in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

“This financing demonstrates investors’ extraordinary confidence in our financial performance and the strength of their collaboration with us to continue fueling our unprecedented growth,” stated Anthropic finance chief Krishna Rao, highlighting the significance of the deal.

The ascent of Anthropic’s valuation has been nothing short of meteoric since the debut of its AI assistant, Claude, in March 2023. Founded by former OpenAI research executives, including CEO Dario Amodei, Anthropic is locked in a high-stakes race with its rival, OpenAI, for AI supremacy.

OpenAI, famed for its viral AI chatbot ChatGPT, is also eyeing a massive valuation, reportedly preparing for a secondary stock sale that could value the company at around $500 billion, as CNBC reported in August. The rivalry between these two AI giants is intensifying, with each pushing the boundaries of what’s possible in the field.

Anthropic claims its annualized revenue run rate exceeding $5 billion in August, a significant leap from approximately $1 billion at the beginning of the year and supported by a customer base of over 300,000 businesses.

Anthropic plans to channel its newly acquired capital into bolstering its safety research efforts, meeting the surging demand from enterprise clients, and fueling its international expansion plans. The company’s strategic priorities reflect its commitment to responsible AI development and its ambition to become a global leader in the industry.