Anthropic hires lawyers as it preps for IPO

Anthropic is set to embark on the journey towards an initial public offering (IPO), potentially as soon as 2026, according to reports from the Financial Times. To facilitate this ambitious move, the company has enlisted the expertise of the law firm Wilson Sonsini, which has been advising Anthropic since 2022. As part of its preparation, Anthropic is diligently working through an internal checklist to ensure readiness for what could be one of the most significant IPOs in history. In addition to its IPO plans, the company is reportedly aiming to secure a funding round that could elevate its valuation to over $300 billion. Discussions are underway with various investment banks, although a specific underwriter has yet to be selected. In September, Anthropic raised $13 billion, bringing its valuation to approximately $183 billion. This news emerges at a time when OpenAI, currently valued at $500 billion, is also exploring the possibility of an IPO and has begun laying the groundwork for that process, although no timeline for its listing has been disclosed.