Anthropic overtakes OpenAI in Q2 2026 revenue for 1st time
Anthropic just overtook OpenAI in quarterly revenue for the first time ever.
In the second quarter of 2026, Anthropic pulled in $11.6 billion, more than double what it made last quarter, while OpenAI reached $6.7 billion, up 18% from the first quarter.
Despite growing sales, OpenAI's losses also grew to $12.3 billion, but Anthropic managed a small adjusted profit.
Anthropic valuation $965B outpaces OpenAI
Launched by former OpenAI employees in 2021, Anthropic has focused on building targeted AI tools like Claude Code for businesses instead of chasing a massive free user base.
This strategy helped boost its valuation to $965 billion this May, outpacing OpenAI's $852 billion from March.
As one industry expert put it, Anthropic's focus on efficiency and paying customers has given it an edge over OpenAI, highlighting how their different approaches are shaping the AI rivalry right now.