shrtdb :: Anthropic, an AI startup, is in advanced talks to raise $2 billion in funding, which would value the company at $60 billion.

Anthropic, an AI startup, is in advanced talks to raise $2 billion in funding, which would value the company at $60 billion.
This funding round is being led by Lightspeed Venture Partners, and would make Anthropic the fifth-most valuable U.S. startup after SpaceX, OpenAI, Stripe, and Databricks.
There has been a surge in funding and dealmaking among AI companies, driven by investor enthusiasm for the potential of generative AI to transform how people work and live.
Anthropic was founded in 2021 by former OpenAI employees, and its main product is a chatbot called Claude that is popular among programmers and businesses, though it trails ChatGPT in popularity with everyday users.
Anthropic has distinguished itself by taking a public stance in favor of robust safety testing for its AI technology, out of concern that it could be misused or unintentionally cause harm.
Much of Anthropic's funding has come from its close partner Amazon, which has committed $8 billion to the startup since 2023.
Anthropic develops and operates its technology in data centers operated by Amazon and Google, both of which have invested billions in the startup.
Anthropic's annualized revenue recently hit about $875 million, with most of that coming from sales to businesses.
In comparison, OpenAI told investors that it expected to generate $3.7 billion in revenue last year, largely from sales of the premium version of ChatGPT to consumers.
The high valuations and funding rounds in the AI industry reflect investor excitement about the potential of the technology, despite the fact that most AI startups are currently losing money due to the high costs and intense competition.