Anthropic is showing remarkable sales growth, with predictions suggesting it could surpass OpenAI in sales by mid-2026. Its annual sales have increased more than tenfold, reaching $14 billion by February 2026. OpenAI, while having strong sales of $20 billion by the end of 2025, exhibits a slower growth rate. Anthropic's "Claude Code" tool is particularly popular among developers, and the company is performing strongly in the corporate market and AI coding, potentially shifting the generative AI market dominance previously held by OpenAI's ChatGPT.
Meanwhile, Chinese investors are actively embracing AI companies, focusing on growth potential rather than disruption fears seen in Western markets. Local firms like MiniMax and Zhipu have seen their stock prices double in February, benefiting from limited access for foreign AI models in China. Companies such as Shanghai Biren Technology and Montage Technology have also experienced significant gains, with analysts believing there is substantial room for further growth in Chinese AI valuations.
Despite the enthusiasm, some prominent figures are raising concerns about the broader AI market. Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski warns that AI could drastically reduce the value of software companies, citing Chegg as an example of a firm whose valuation has fallen due to AI. Investor Michael Burry questions the massive spending on AI data centers by major tech companies, suggesting it might mask financial issues and inflate earnings through accounting methods, drawing parallels to the 1920s radio mania. This sentiment leads Wall Street to favor "HALO" stocks, which are businesses like Deere & Co. and McDonald's Corp. considered resistant to AI disruption.
In contrast to some of these concerns, billionaire investor Bill Ackman has made a significant investment in Meta Platforms, viewing it as a "deeply discounted" and "world's greatest business." Ackman believes Meta is achieving strong returns on its substantial AI infrastructure investments, with the company reporting a 24% revenue growth last quarter, driven by advertising and user expansion. Separately, OpenAI has reportedly halved its planned investment for 2030, possibly due to concerns about an AI bubble. The cybersecurity sector is also experiencing a transformation, with AI, including tools like Anthropic's Claude Code Security, accelerating both defensive and offensive capabilities, making security more complex and shifting it towards reasoning and action.
Key Takeaways
- Anthropic's sales growth is significantly outpacing OpenAI's, potentially surpassing OpenAI by mid-2026 with annual sales reaching $14 billion by February 2026.
- Anthropic's "Claude Code" tool is highly popular, contributing to its strong performance in the corporate and AI coding markets.
- OpenAI's sales reached $20 billion by the end of 2025 but show a slower growth rate compared to Anthropic.
- OpenAI has reportedly halved its planned investment for 2030, possibly due to concerns about an AI bubble.
- Chinese investors are heavily backing local AI companies like MiniMax and Zhipu, which saw stock prices double in February, due to limited foreign competition.
- Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski warns AI could drastically reduce software company valuations, citing Chegg as an example.
- Investor Michael Burry questions massive AI data center spending by tech giants, suggesting it might inflate earnings and mask financial issues.
- Wall Street is favoring "HALO" stocks (High-Artificial-Intelligence-Limited-Opportunity) like Deere & Co. and McDonald's Corp., which are seen as resistant to AI disruption.
- Billionaire investor Bill Ackman made a significant investment in Meta Platforms, confident in its AI returns and calling it a "deeply discounted" business.
- AI is transforming cybersecurity by accelerating both defense and attack capabilities, shifting security from rule-based alerts to reasoning and action.
China investors favor AI winners ignoring global fears
While Western markets worry about AI's impact, Chinese investors are actively seeking out AI companies that are growing fast. They see AI as a way to save costs and create new opportunities. Local companies like MiniMax and Zhipu are popular because foreign AI models have limited access to China's market. This allows Chinese firms to grow without as much competition. Stocks like Shanghai Biren Technology and Montage Technology have seen significant gains. Investors believe China's AI market has more room to grow, despite some concerns about whether earnings can keep up with the excitement.
China's AI stocks surge as investors embrace growth
China's stock market is seeing a strong rally in AI companies, with investors focusing on growth potential rather than disruption fears. This is different from Wall Street, where investors are concerned about AI's impact on existing businesses. Chinese AI firms like MiniMax and Zhipu have seen their stock prices double in February. This is partly because foreign AI models have limited access to the Chinese market, giving local companies an advantage. Analysts believe there is still significant room for growth in Chinese AI valuations, especially as local AI models achieve new performance milestones.
Anthropic sales could soon top OpenAI's
A new report predicts that Anthropic's sales could surpass OpenAI's by mid-2026. Anthropic has shown rapid sales growth, increasing more than ten times annually since exceeding $1 billion in late 2024. While OpenAI also has strong sales, its growth rate is slower. Anthropic is performing particularly well in the business market and for AI coding tools. Its coding tool 'Claude Code' is very popular among developers. This shift could change the market structure that has been dominated by OpenAI's ChatGPT for years.
Anthropic's sales growth outpaces OpenAI's
Research suggests Anthropic's sales growth is significantly outpacing OpenAI's, potentially leading Anthropic to surpass OpenAI in sales by mid-2026. Anthropic's annual sales have grown more than tenfold, reaching $14 billion in February 2026. OpenAI's sales reached $20 billion by the end of 2025, but its growth rate is slower. Anthropic leads in the corporate market and AI coding, with its 'Claude Code' tool being highly popular. This trend indicates a potential shift in the generative AI market, which OpenAI has led since releasing ChatGPT.
AI's impact on cybersecurity is changing the game
Anthropic's new Claude Code Security tool has caused a stir in the cybersecurity market, with some stock prices dropping. However, this doesn't mean AI is killing cybersecurity. Instead, AI is speeding up both defense and attack capabilities, making security more complex. The rapid pace of software development, faster attacks, and a flood of security data are overwhelming current systems. AI is shifting security from rule-based alerts to reasoning and action, requiring humans to approve machine-driven tasks. This change means cybersecurity will become more demanding, not less.
AI could slash software company values, warns Klarna CEO
Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski warns that artificial intelligence could drastically reduce the value of software companies. He suggests that software stocks, which have historically traded at high price-to-sales ratios, could drop to levels similar to utility companies. Siemiatkowski points to Chegg as an example of a company whose valuation has fallen sharply due to AI. He believes AI can replicate software functions at a lower cost, eroding the competitive advantages that allowed these companies to command high prices. While not predicting a total collapse, he thinks a significant re-rating is possible.
Michael Burry questions AI spending's financial impact
Investor Michael Burry is raising concerns about the massive spending on AI data centers by major tech companies. He believes these expenditures might be masking underlying financial issues and inflating earnings through accounting methods. Burry compares the current AI boom to the speculative radio mania of the 1920s, suggesting that while AI technology has long-term value, the current investment pace could lead to a market correction. He specifically mentioned Oracle and Meta Platforms as companies whose reported profits might be affected by AI-related accounting practices. The debate highlights the tension between rapid technological growth and sound financial reporting.
Wall Street favors 'HALO' stocks resistant to AI
Investors are increasingly looking for companies that are unlikely to be disrupted by artificial intelligence, labeling them 'HALO' stocks. Companies like Deere & Co. and McDonald's Corp. are seen as safe bets because their businesses involve physical assets and established operations, unlike tech or creative industries. This trend reflects growing concerns about AI's potential to change business models. HALO stands for High-Artificial-Intelligence-Limited-Opportunity, identifying businesses with models resistant to AI changes. While these stocks offer stability, some analysts caution that no company is completely immune to AI's indirect effects.
Bill Ackman bets big on Meta Platforms stock
Billionaire investor Bill Ackman has made a significant investment in Meta Platforms, calling it one of the 'world's greatest businesses' and 'deeply discounted.' Despite concerns about Meta's large spending on AI infrastructure, Ackman believes the company is getting strong returns on its AI investments. Meta's revenue growth accelerated to 24% in the last quarter, driven by its advertising business and increasing user numbers. The company also anticipates continued growth and has opportunities with ads on WhatsApp and its new platform Threads. Ackman's investment suggests confidence in Meta's long-term potential despite recent stock pressures.
OpenAI cuts 2030 investment plans
OpenAI has reportedly halved its planned investment for 2030, possibly due to concerns about an AI bubble. The specific details of the investment reduction and the reasons behind it are not fully elaborated in the provided text. This move comes amid broader discussions about the sustainability of rapid AI development and investment.
Sources
- China Defies Global ‘AI Scare Trade’ as Investors Chase Winners
- China’s AI rally ignites as investors shrug off global disruption fears By Investing.com
- It is predicted that sales of generative artificial intelligence (AI) startup Ansropic could overtak..
- It is predicted that sales of generative artificial intelligence (AI) startup Ansropic could overtak..
- Claude Code Security didn’t kill cybersecurity. It exposed what’s coming next.
- AI Could Cause Software Valuations To Drop From Price-To-Sales Of 30x To Just 1x, Like Utilities: Klarna CEO Sebastian Siemiatkowski
- Burry sparks AI spending debate, defends record as critics question timing
- Wall Street’s Latest Bet Is on ‘HALO’ Companies With AI Immunity
- A Billionaire Just Bet Big on This AI Stock. Should Investors Follow Suit?
- OpenAI Halves 2030 Investment Amid AI Bubble Concerns
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