Wall Street Pushes Anthropic, OpenAI to Go Public This Year

Wall Street advisers are urging Anthropic and OpenAI to take their blockbuster IPOs to market sooner rather than later, according to the New York Post’s “On The Money” column by Charlie Gasparino. The concern, the Post reports, extends well beyond the risk of an AI bubble.

The Post, citing insiders, says big investors are increasingly worried about a Democratic takeover of Congress after the November election. One major Wall Street deal lawyer told the Post: “It will be years of hearings, investigations and nonstop turmoil. We’re advising that people do their IPOs before the end of the year before things get crazy.”

The timelines differ for the two companies. According to the Post, Anthropic will likely release its official offering statement, known as an S-1, any day now, in preparation for an IPO before Thanksgiving. Representatives for Anthropic had no immediate comment.

OpenAI is the bigger question. The Post notes that CEO Sam Altman said last month the company does not plan to go public until next year, partly citing AI safety concerns. Wall Street figures told the Post that OpenAI will be urgently advised to move after the election but before Jan. 3, when Democrats would formally take control if they prevail. An OpenAI spokesperson pushed back on the premise. “We’ve been consistent in saying that we have not set a timeline for an IPO,” the spokesperson said, adding that the CEO made clear last month that the priority is safety and that the company will not be going public this year.

The Post also flags another potentially large deal on the horizon: a “monster” secondary stock offering by Meta to fund its AI buildout, which the column first reported and which could also come in the coming months.

The Post acknowledges several ways the thesis could fall apart. Anthropic could get cold feet and delay its offering amid investor fears that AI valuations have peaked. Republicans could also hold both chambers despite President Trump’s unpopularity. And if Democrats win both chambers, as the Post says polls suggest is highly plausible, the result could be legislative gridlock, since Trump would still control the White House. The Post notes that markets generally welcome gridlock because a divided Washington struggles to pass anything disruptive.

The column argues that conventional view may not hold this time. In its telling, many incoming Democrats are not mainstream dealmakers but come from the party’s far left, with some being outright socialists promising the fiercest opposition to Trump the country has seen. The Post says AI policy would be a prime target, noting that even some Republican contenders in tight races have shifted their positions. Many candidates in both parties are now calling for a slowdown in AI infrastructure buildout and demanding that companies deliver tangible benefits to communities where large data centers are proposed, so the facilities do not strain power and water supplies.

On the political math, the Post reports that the “whisper number” on Wall Street is that the House is gone to the Democrats, who it says have nearly a 70% chance of winning the Senate. It describes Michigan as a toss-up slightly favoring Democrat Abdul El-Sayed over Republican Mike Rogers. In Texas, it says Democrat James Talarico holds a slight lead over Republican Ken Paxton, who “is fumbling badly,” though Paxton could still win if he rides the coattails of Gov. Greg Abbott’s re-election bid.

The Post’s bottom line: Republican wins are possible but won’t be easy, which is why the word to AI heavyweights is to act now.