AI startup Anthropic is currently pursuing a $3.5 billion funding round, according to sources familiar with the matter, which would bring its valuation to a staggering $61.5 billion.
This new funding round, as reported on Monday, may involve backing from prominent venture capital firms like Lightspeed Venture Partners, General Catalyst, and Bessemer Venture Partners.
The proposed $3.5 billion raise exceeds the $2 billion the company was previously looking to secure, as reported by Reuters last month.
The rapid influx of venture capital into AI-related startups reflects the intense interest in this evolving technology, with almost half of all U.S. funding dollars last year being directed toward these companies, signaling investors’ confidence in the future of artificial intelligence.
Anthropic’s funding efforts highlight the increasing allure of American AI startups, despite the emergence of lower-cost alternatives in China, such as DeepSeek, which has caused some investor concern.
OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, is also in talks for a substantial funding round that could potentially value the company at up to $300 billion, Reuters reported.
Anthropic has not yet provided an official response to Reuters’ request for comment. The Wall Street Journal first reported on the fundraise.
Anthropic, a foundational model rival to OpenAI, was co-founded by Dario and Daniela Amodei, formerly executives at the Sam Altman-led startup.
The company was previously valued at approximately $18 billion in a fundraising round led by Menlo Ventures last year.
On Monday, Anthropic also announced the launch of an advanced AI model, Claude 3.7 Sonnet. This new model offers quicker response times and can display the step-by-step reasoning behind its outputs, which the company hopes will provide it with a competitive edge in the generative AI sector.
