Anthropic considers new model to counter OpenAI’s latest AI push
The deliberations come days after CEO Dario Amodei called for the industry to slow the development of increasingly capable AI systems.
Anthropic is considering launching a new AI model as it looks to respond to growing momentum for OpenAI’s latest model, GPT-6 Astra, according to Reuters.
The discussions come just days after Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called for the AI industry to slow the development of increasingly capable models because of safety concerns.
Anthropic is evaluating the safety of its next model as part of its deliberations, Reuters said. The company is also weighing how much to invest in new models against the need to improve profitability as investors place greater emphasis on when AI companies will generate sustainable cash flow.
OpenAI released GPT-6 Astra on September 3, highlighting improvements in computer use, software engineering, cybersecurity and professional work. The model has gained traction among businesses and developers, raising concerns among some investors about Anthropic’s position in the enterprise AI market.
Astra accounted for about 13% of enterprise AI spending tracked by corporate expense platform Ramp, compared with about 8% for Anthropic’s Claude Fable. OpenRouter also said its users spent more on OpenAI models than Anthropic models last week, the first time OpenAI had led on that measure in more than two and a half years.
Anthropic still has a significant revenue advantage. Its annualized revenue run rate exceeded $65 billion by the end of July, up from about $9 billion at the end of 2025. OpenAI’s annualized revenue run rate passed $40 billion in July.
Anthropic is also facing a broader competitive challenge from open-source and open-weight models, which can reduce token costs and allow companies to build more AI infrastructure internally.
The model debate comes as Anthropic prepares for a potential IPO that could value the company at as much as $2 trillion. The company has already delayed earlier plans and could push the offering until after the November U.S. midterm elections.
At the same time, Anthropic is expanding its AI ambitions beyond software. The company has established a wet laboratory in the San Francisco Bay Area to conduct physical biology experiments.
Eric Kauderer-Abrams, Anthropic’s head of life sciences, confirmed the laboratory and said the company is using both its own facilities and external partners for biological research.
Anthropic has said it wants to use AI to accelerate work on diseases that traditional pharmaceutical companies may not find financially attractive. The company has launched Claude Science, acquired Coefficient Bio and is exploring the use of Claude to direct robotic systems carrying out laboratory experiments.
