Altimeter’s Brad Gerstner Says Anthropic’s Revenue Run Rate Could Triple In 2026 As AI Worries Hit Tech Stocks
The investor, known for his early bets in Meta and Uber, believes Anthropic is gaining ground on OpenAI.
- Anthropic recently disclosed that its ARR had grown from $9 billion to $30 billion in a matter of months.
- Anthropic could exit the year with up to $100 billion ARR, Brad Gerstner said on a podcast.
- The AI startup has released new AI tools at a rapid clip lately and is gearing up for an initial public offering.
Altimeter Capital founder Brad Gerstner believes that Anthropic could “easily” triple its annual revenue run-rate (ARR) this year, he said in investor Chamath Palihapitiya’s The All-In Podcast on Saturday.
Gerstner’s comments underscore how investors and market observers are taking note of the disruption from Amazon and Google-backed Anthropic, which recently disclosed that its ARR had jumped from $9 billion to $30 billion in a matter of months and that it had gained over 1,000 customers paying over $1 million a year.
“Anthropic was literally counted out of the game last year, and they’ve kicked OpenAI’s a** over the last 90 days. Bam, you have the largest revenue explosion in the history of technology,” Gerstner said on the podcast version published on YouTube.
“I would not be shocked if you see Anthropic exiting this year at $80 billion or $100 billion in revenue.”
Gerstner is a high-profile tech investor who made early bets on companies like Snowflake, Meta, and Uber. His firm, Altimeter, is famous for its aggressive, long-term bets on disruptive tech and has stood out for publicly calling out Big Tech management (notably Meta) and pushing for strategic changes.
IPO-Bound Anthropic Climbs To New Strengths
Anthropic has dominated headlines in recent months. Its new AI tools — particularly Claude CoWork, launched in January, along with a steady rollout of added capabilities — have triggered a sharp selloff across software and SaaS stocks.
Last week, Anthropic previewed its new AI model, Mythos, with cybersecurity applications, and launched a new product that makes it easier for enterprises to build and deploy AI agents.
Interestingly, Mythos has raised concerns in the pentagon, and Secretary Scott Bessent and Federal Reserve Chair Jerome Powell last week held an urgent meeting with top Wall Street bank CEOs to warn about cyber risks posed by the new AI model.
Gerstner said Anthropic’s revenue surge underscores how its models and services have become cutting-edge, with customers rapidly adopting them, and suggested the addressable market for AI may be larger than previously estimated.
“It’s not that there was some great go to market at Anthropic that all of a sudden they snuck up and blew everybody away. No, it was companies demanding the product. They’re getting throttled on the product. Why? Because it’s so good. It makes them better at their business,” said Gerstner.
Anthropic, meanwhile, is preparing for an initial public offering that could come toward the end of the year and rank among the largest on record. Retail investors are already buying exposure through proxy funds such as the KraneShares Artificial Intelligence & Technology ETF (AGIX), Destiny Tech100 (DXYZ), and ARK Venture Fund (ARKVX).
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