OpenAI vs. Anthropic: Divergent Paths to Monetizing AI
OpenAI and Anthropic are carving distinct trajectories in the AI landscape, despite sharing foundational technology. Microsoft-backed OpenAI dominates consumer adoption with ChatGPT, boasting over 800 million weekly users. Its $13 billion annual revenue run rate leans heavily on freemium subscriptions, though operational costs outpace income. Advertising remains an unexplored frontier.
Anthropic, supported by Amazon and Alphabet, pursues enterprise clients with its Claude AI system. Nearly 80% of its $7 billion revenue stream comes from business applications like legal drafting and coding. With 300,000 corporate customers, the company anticipates $9 billion in annual revenue by year-end—a testament to its focused monetization strategy.