Anthropic in talks to raise fresh capital at $170 billion valuation

Anthropic is currently in negotiations to secure between $3 billion and $5 billion in a funding round led by Iconiq Capital, aiming for a valuation of $170 billion for the artificial intelligence startup. This latest development, confirmed by CNBC, highlights the intense interest from investors in the rapidly evolving AI sector. Having recently closed a $3.5 billion funding round in March at a valuation of $61.5 billion, Anthropic's soaring worth reflects the growing demand for shares in leading AI companies. Bloomberg initially reported on the funding discussions, which were later verified by a source familiar with the situation who preferred to remain anonymous. Last week, the Financial Times suggested that the anticipated valuation for Anthropic might be closer to $150 billion, following discussions with several investors from the Middle East. A memo that surfaced and was shared with Wired revealed that CEO Dario Amodei is reconsidering the approach to Middle East funding. He noted that engaging with Gulf sovereign wealth has become increasingly essential to maintaining a competitive edge in AI development, despite initial concerns about the national security implications of providing influence to authoritarian regimes. In previous reports, CNBC indicated that Anthropic had declined funding from Saudi Arabia while searching for new investors. Meanwhile, other rivals in the AI space are also looking towards the Middle East for investment. OpenAI, for instance, still aims to raise $30 billion out of a planned $40 billion funding round and is collaborating with Emirati firm G42 to establish a large data center in Abu Dhabi. The latest funding round for OpenAI valued the company at approximately $300 billion.