Anthropic nears $20 billion revenue run rate amid Pentagon feud

Anthropic PBC is on track to generate annual revenue of almost $20 billion, a projection based on current performance, more than doubling its run rate from late last year — a sign of the AI company’s rapid growth in the lead-up to its recent clash with the Pentagon.

The artificial intelligence company recently surpassed $19 billion in run-rate revenue, up from $9 billion at the end of 2025 and roughly $14 billion a few weeks ago, said the people, who spoke on condition of anonymity as the information is not public. The growth in run rate was driven by strong adoption of Anthropic’s AI models and products, including its coding tool, Claude Code, the people said.

Anthropic, now valued at $380 billion, has seen strong momentum this year. Multiple products from the company have gained viral attention for helping to automate more complex tasks, including Claude Code. However, a clash with the Pentagon over AI safeguards now casts doubt over Anthropic’s business.


On Friday, Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth declared the AI developer a supply-chain risk — a designation typically reserved for companies from countries the US views as adversaries. The move came after a tense standoff in which Anthropic pressed for restrictions on the Pentagon’s use of its AI technologies for surveillance and autonomous weaponry. Hegseth’s declaration is meant to not only cut off Anthropic’s sales from the US government, but also numerous other firms.

Dean Ball, a former White House adviser who helped create the Trump administration’s AI Action Plan, described the declaration as “attempted corporate murder.” Anthropic called the move “legally unsound” and said it’s prepared to “challenge any supply chain risk designation in court.”

The long-term impact of the Pentagon’s declaration on Anthropic’s software sales to business customers – which has long been its core business – remains to be seen. In the meantime, it’s gaining traction with everyday users. Anthropic’s main app recently topped Apple Inc.’s download charts, reflecting a surge of support for the company during its feud with the Pentagon.