When Dario Amodei walked out of OpenAI in late 2020 to start Anthropic, he didn’t just leave a job. He lit the fuse on a rivalry that now defines the entire AI industry.
Fast forward to mid-2026, and the numbers tell the story. Anthropic recently raised $65 billion at a $965 billion valuation, leapfrogging OpenAI’s $852 billion. Two companies born from the same DNA, now worth a combined $1.8 trillion, locked in a contest that will shape how artificial intelligence develops for decades.
From awkward handshakes to Super Bowl attack ads
At an AI summit in India in February 2026, Sam Altman and Dario Amodei were both in attendance. They notably avoided shaking hands. For two CEOs at the center of the world’s hottest technology sector, the optics were unmistakable.
Anthropic turned up the heat even further with its Super Bowl advertising campaign, which leaned into themes of “Deception,” “Betrayal,” and “Treachery.” The campaign was essentially a prime-time subtweet, broadcast to over 100 million viewers.
