Anthropic, an artificial intelligence startup founded by former OpenAI executives Dario and Daniela Amodei, is in advanced talks to raise a substantial USD 750 million in a funding round. According to a Reuters report, Menlo Ventures is expected to lead the funding, propelling Anthropic's valuation to USD 18.4 billion.
Anthropic's flagship Claude AI models, designed to rival OpenAI's GPT series, have been at the forefront of the company's efforts to carve a niche in the rapidly evolving technology sector. The latest funding round signifies Anthropic's strategic move to secure substantial resources and attract high-profile backers, with Menlo Ventures at the forefront.
Google and Amazon.com have already demonstrated confidence in Anthropic's potential by investing significant amounts in recent months. Google, with an investment commitment of up to USD 2 billion, and Amazon.com, with a commitment of up to USD 4 billion, underscore the industry's recognition of Anthropic's capabilities.
According to Reuters, OpenAI's board of directors approached Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei with a proposal to replace Sam Altman as chief and explore the possibility of merging the two formidable AI startups.