Anthropic has acquired the dev tools startup used by OpenAI, Google, and Cloudflare

In a strategic move to bolster its capabilities in the AI sector, Anthropic has announced the acquisition of Stainless, a startup co-founded by former Stripe engineer Alex Rattray. This development comes as Stainless has gained traction among leading AI labs, including OpenAI and Google, for its innovative software solutions. While the financial details of the deal remain undisclosed, reports suggest that the acquisition was valued at over $300 million, as previously indicated by The Information. This acquisition not only enhances Anthropic’s infrastructure but also removes a critical resource from its competitors’ reach. Anthropic has confirmed that it will phase out all hosted products from Stainless, including its software development kit (SDK) generator. However, customers who have utilized Stainless's SDKs will retain ownership and the right to modify and expand their generated software. Founded in 2022, the New York-based startup quickly gained recognition for its ability to automate the generation and upkeep of SDKs—essential tools for developers to interact with application programming interfaces (APIs). Rattray's innovative software can convert API specifications into production-ready SDKs across a variety of programming languages such as Python, TypeScript, Kotlin, Go, and Java. This automation streamlines the SDK maintenance process, significantly reducing the time developers spend on these tasks. The technology developed by Stainless is particularly advantageous for companies like Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, Replicate, Runway, and Cloudflare, all of which are focused on creating AI agents capable of interfacing with external software to perform tasks on behalf of users. With the acquisition, the proprietary SDK tools will now exclusively serve Anthropic, enhancing its competitive edge in the industry. Rattray expressed enthusiasm about the acquisition, stating, "I started Stainless because SDKs deserve as much care as the APIs they wrap. Anthropic was one of the first teams to bet on this with us. Observing the developments by developers using Claude over the years made the decision to unite our teams a natural one. We are excited to continue our work on the platform that matters most."