Advanced negotiations between QIA and MGX from UAE are underway, aiming to support Anthropic at a staggering $170 billion valuation
In a significant move for the AI industry, Anthropic, the company behind the Claude chatbot, is nearing the close of a funding round that could raise between $3 billion and $5 billion. This funding round, if successful, would nearly triple Anthropic's previous valuation of $61.5 billion from a round in March 2025.
The funding round is aimed at providing Anthropic with the large-scale capital needed to compete with its rivals. Iconiq Capital is leading this round, with potential participation from sovereign wealth funds such as Qatar Investment Authority and Singapore’s GIC. Additionally, a second lead investor may join the deal, and existing backers, including Amazon, could also participate.
The funding discussions come amid controversy over leaked comments from Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei. In an internal memo, Amodei made remarks about accessing a significant amount of capital in the Middle East. Amodei suggested that the company faced competitive pressure to tap into regional funding pools to "stay on the frontier" of AI development.
Anthropic will reportedly limit any Gulf investment arrangements to purely financial terms, without operational influence or data center presence for regional investors. This move is intended to maintain control over the company's operations and data.
It's worth noting that Anthropic has surpassed $4 billion in annual recurring revenue this year, marking a significant growth in the company's financial performance.
The valuation of Anthropic in this round is expected to be $170 billion, placing the company in a league of its own. This valuation is notably higher than that of OpenAI, which was valued at $300 billion earlier this year.
This funding is expected to support Anthropic’s growth in AI talent, infrastructure, and advanced model development, positioning the company for continued success in the competitive AI landscape.
Investing in this funding round for Anthropic, a company known for its AI industry advancements, could potentially benefit those involved with a potential return on investment of up to $5 billion, given the proposed valuation of $170 billion. As Amodei, the Anthropic CEO, suggests, the company is looking to secure large-scale capital to remain competitive in the business sector, particularly in AI technology development.
