Anthropic, the company behind the Claude chatbot, is reportedly preparing for a significant initial public offering (IPO) as early as next year. The Financial Times revealed that Anthropic is working with the law firm Wilson Sonsini Goodrich & Rosati, known for handling major tech IPOs like Google and LinkedIn. The startup, led by Dario Amodei, is also pursuing a private funding round that could push its valuation above $300 billion, bolstered by a $15 billion commitment from both Microsoft and Nvidia. The discussions around the IPO are still in the early stages and informal, according to sources. Anthropic's intentions come as it competes with OpenAI, which is also exploring a public offering. This situation raises questions about investor interest in AI startups that are not yet profitable, amid concerns over a potential AI bubble. An Anthropic spokesperson stated that operating as if they are publicly traded is standard for companies of their size, but no firm decisions have been made regarding the IPO timeline. Recent changes at Anthropic include hiring Krishna Rao, a former Airbnb executive who played a role in that company's IPO. Last month, Anthropic was valued at around $350 billion following significant investments from Microsoft and Nvidia. To strengthen its position against OpenAI, Anthropic is aggressively expanding, with plans for a $50 billion AI infrastructure build-out and a tripling of its international workforce. Investors are optimistic about the potential IPO, seeing it as an opportunity for Anthropic to gain an edge over OpenAI, which recently indicated it is not pursuing a near-term IPO despite its own $6.6 billion share sale at a $500 billion valuation.