OpenAI and Anthropic have historically been mentioned together. After all, OpenAI's ChatGPT and Anthropic's Claude are among the most popular large language models (LLMs).
In recent weeks, the companies have diverged on multiple fronts. Simply put, OpenAI is a mostly consumer play with a case of Google and Apple envy. Anthropic is enterprise and Claude is an engine for work.
OpenAI is betting big on building its infrastructure and will use hyperscalers to add capacity. Anthropic leverages AWS and Google Cloud.
There’s also an argument to be made that Anthropic has a better business model.
Let's compare and contrast.
OpenAI
- OpenAI launched its ChatGPT Atlas web browser and acquired Software Applications Incorporated, which makes Sky, a natural language interface for the Mac.
- The company is increasingly seeing itself as a window to apps, content and commerce. Sounds familiar? It’s a bit Google-ish. In addition, OpenAI is building out connectors to enterprise knowledge bases too. See: OpenAI sets SDKs for app integrations, agentic AI building blocks
- OpenAI's multiple commitments to build AI factories revolve around consumer-like scale and reach.
- OpenAI's agent and app play revolves around mostly consumer applications with a dash of enterprise.
The company is pushing into not safe for work content. Yes, ChatGPT will be naughty.
Anthropic
- Anthropic launched Claude for Life Sciences, which follows an established enterprise playbook.
- The company outlined Agent Skills, which is an interesting way to bring agentic AI to the LLM. A file system is notable because it can lower a real enterprise pain point in token costs.
- Claude now has multiple integrations with productivity apps and data stores, as well as partnerships with integrators like Deloitte.
- Anthropic expands international presence, enterprise reach.
- Anthropic follows enterprise software industry playbook, hires Smith as commercial chief.
My bet is that Anthropic just has a cleaner and more focused business model. Maybe OpenAI disrupts Google and Apple at some point, but a lot has to go right. The big question is whether OpenAI is too big to fail since it is clearly the linchpin in the AI economy.
