Anthropic eyes early IPO amid AI safety concerns, OpenAI delays until 2027
Anthropic is expected to beat rival OpenAI to the public markets with a blockbuster IPO later this year, possibly as early as October, seeking a valuation of around $2 trillion, while OpenAI plans to delay its own IPO until 2027, citing safety concerns and instead negotiating a new funding round that could value the ChatGPT maker at least $1.2 trillion. The push comes amid heightened AI safety worries after Anthropic employee Jacob Coxon resigned warning the industry was "gambling with our lives," a sentiment echoed by former OpenAI colleagues; venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya warned investors may demand a discount if risks are real, while Brad Gerstner of Altimeter Capital pointed to SpaceX's $85 billion IPO as proof the market can price risk, even though its stock has since fallen about a quarter from its peak. For Nigerians, the AI IPO wave signals growing global demand for AI talent, making skills in machine learning, data science, and AI ethics valuable for remote work or freelance gigs; watching SEC filings for Anthropic's IPO can provide early insight into valuation and risk disclosures, while participating in local AI meetups or online courses helps build capacity; ultimately, the balance between innovation and safety will shape both international tech trends and local opportunities in Nigeria's expanding digital economy.