Why The OpenAI And Anthropic Rivalry Is Heating Up

The gloves are coming off in the high-stakes rivalry between OpenAI and Anthropic as both companies race towards potential IPOs in late-2026. OpenAI’s move to introduce ads into ChatGPT setting off sniping between executives on both sides and a multi-million dollar Super Bowl ad promising Anthropic will not have ads in its Claude chatbot. This tension traces back to a 2020 split over AI safety between OpenAI and Anthropic co-founder Dario Amodei, but it has evolved into a brutal fight for the lucrative enterprise market where Anthropic’s Claude has seen viral success in recent months. The companies have raised hundreds of billions of dollars in the private markets, and both are poised to IPO with historic valuations. Investors in each company say they want to be the first to make their case to the market, while some bankers say letting your rival test the waters could help. CNBC's Kate Rooney has the story.

Produced by: Drew Troast
Reporter: Kate Rooney
Edited by: Erin Black
Senior Director of Video: Jeniece Pettitt
Additional Footage: Anthropic, Getty Images