Anthropic posted net loss above $80 billion in first half of 2026, WSJ reports

Anthropic recorded a net loss of more than $80 billion in the first half of 2026, according to the Wall Street Journal. The newspaper cited a draft prospectus for the artificial intelligence company's planned initial public offering. Reuters and Al Jazeera relayed the report.

Both Reuters and Al Jazeera attribute the figures to the Wall Street Journal. Neither outlet independently verified them. Al Jazeera noted that the figures are based on non-public information that could not be immediately verified.

The reported figures

According to the Wall Street Journal, $72 billion of the loss came from accounting charges. These charges were linked to changes in the value of convertible notes and other financial instruments that Anthropic issued to raise funding.

Al Jazeera also relayed these figures from the Wall Street Journal:

• A net loss of $13 billion in the same period a year earlier.
• Revenue of $16.3 billion in the six months ended 30 June 2026, up from $1.1 billion a year earlier.
• Spending on AI infrastructure that nearly quadrupled to almost $9 billion.
• An indication that Anthropic could spend up to $750 billion in coming years on computing capacity, including potential deals under discussion.

According to the Wall Street Journal, the filing lists risk factors. These include uncertainty over how to prevent the company's products from causing harm, such as through sophisticated cyberattacks or blackmail by uncontrolled models.

Al Jazeera reported that Reuters first reported in September that Anthropic posted a net loss of $42 billion in 2025, based on its IPO prospectus.

Investor valuation

Al Jazeera reported that four people familiar with the matter, cited by Reuters, said some current and prospective investors are weighing a lower valuation. These investors attended Anthropic's investor day in San Francisco, which Al Jazeera described as taking place last week. According to three of those people, investors discussed a valuation of around $1.5 trillion. That compares with roughly $2 trillion previously expected for a November share sale. These sources were not named.

Al Jazeera also reported that Anthropic said last week that AI could be months away from learning to self-replicate on everyday home devices.

What each side says

Anthropic did not respond to a request for comment, according to Al Jazeera.

What remains unclear

The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not describe the operating loss excluding the accounting charges. They do not say whether the prospectus has been filed with regulators or remains a draft. They do not give an exact IPO date beyond an expected November share sale. Al Jazeera's subheadline and body text describe the year-earlier comparison inconsistently. The body text states the loss rose from $13 billion a year earlier.

Analysis

The reported figures rest on a single origin, the Wall Street Journal's reading of a draft document, and Anthropic has not commented. Most of the reported loss is attributed to accounting charges on financing instruments rather than to operations, which could change how investors interpret it. One possible scenario is that a final, public prospectus confirms or revises these numbers. Another is that valuation talks shift further before any share sale. The reports reviewed by Vocemundi do not show which outcome is more likely. Independent disclosure would be needed to assess the company's finances with confidence.

Produced by the Vocemundi newsroom with AI assistance.