Claude Code team sees 3 exits as Anthropic prepares IPO
What's the story
Anthropic, the company behind the Claude Code tool, has lost three key members from its team in just two weeks. The departures come as the company gears up for an initial public offering (IPO). Cat Wu, one of the senior figures in the development of Claude Code, announced her exit on social media platform X.
Departure announcement
Wu's announcement on X
Wu, who joined Anthropic in 2024 after trying an early version of the coding assistant, shared her experience on X.
She recalled how she was hooked by the tool two years ago when it was still a small internal project.
"Friday was my last day at Anthropic," she wrote. "Helping build Claude Code into an industry-defining product has been the journey of a lifetime."
Future prospects
Wu didn't disclose her next move
Wu thanked the teams behind Claude Code, Cowork, and Tag for their contributions. However, she didn't reveal her reason for leaving or her next move.
Responding to an X user who asked if she'd take a six-month vacation, she said "post agi!," a tongue-in-cheek reference to artificial general intelligence (AGI).
Team changes
Two other exits from the Claude Code team
Wu's departure was preceded by two other exits from the Claude Code team.
Thariq Shihipar, who worked as an AI coding assistant for over a year, announced his exit.
He said he had enjoyed his time at Anthropic and believed deeply in its mission but wanted to take a break before moving on to something new.
Growth trajectory
Rapid growth and upcoming IPO
Anthony Morris, the creator of Claude Code for desktop, also announced his exit from Anthropic. He said he built the desktop version because he believes everyone can be a builder.
The departures come at a crucial time for Anthropic as it prepares for a potential IPO later this month.
The company has grown rapidly, expanding its workforce from about 940 employees at the end of 2024 to nearly 5,300 by September 2026.