Anthropic posts $80 billion loss amid AI spending surge

Image- Collected

Anthropic recorded a net loss of more than $80 billion in the first half of 2026 and indicated it could spend up to $750 billion in the coming years to secure computing capacity, the Wall Street Journal reported on Tuesday, citing a draft IPO prospectus.

The reported loss rose sharply from $13 billion a year earlier, largely due to $72 billion in accounting charges linked to changes in the value of financial instruments the company issued to raise funds.

Despite the losses, Anthropic’s revenue climbed to $16.3 billion in the six months ending June 30, up from $1.1 billion during the same period last year. Spending on AI infrastructure nearly quadrupled to almost $9 billion, according to the report.

The figures highlight the enormous costs of competing in the artificial intelligence sector, as investors question whether spending on computing chips and data centres will generate sufficient returns.

Anthropic’s potential initial public offering is also facing valuation scrutiny. Reuters previously reported that the company recorded a $42 billion net loss in 2025.

The popularity of Claude Code, Anthropic’s AI coding assistant, has helped drive its business growth. However, some investors are reconsidering the company’s potential valuation following recent financial disclosures.

Investors attending a recent meeting discussed a valuation of around $1.5 trillion, below the roughly $2 trillion previously anticipated for a November share sale, Reuters reported, citing people familiar with the matter.

Anthropic told investors that its third-quarter revenue rose 45% from the previous quarter to $16.8 billion and that it was profitable on an adjusted basis during the period.

A weaker reception for Anthropic’s IPO could affect the broader AI market, with investors also watching for a potential OpenAI listing next year. Anthropic did not respond to a request for comment, and Reuters said it could not immediately verify the Wall Street Journal report.