Investor Michael Burry has criticized executives from OpenAI and Anthropic for advocating a slowdown in artificial intelligence development, labeling the stance as self-serving. On Monday, Burry argued that such calls benefit incumbent companies and generate necessary hype for upcoming initial public offerings.

Burry stated on X that "IPOs need hype & puffery," adding that claims of being "so awesome it could become dangerous" constitute such puffery. He further argued that large language models are not true AI and will not achieve artificial general intelligence, meaning there is nothing substantive to slow down. Burry suggested these narratives mask an uncontrollable slowing of growth as companies prepare for public listings.

OpenAI Delays IPO, Anthropic Pushes Ahead

OpenAI has ruled out an IPO in 2026, with CEO Sam Altman describing the timing as ill-advised due to ongoing safety and alignment challenges. In contrast, Anthropic reportedly chose Nasdaq for its planned October IPO. The company expects to post positive adjusted operating income for a second consecutive quarter and forecasts gross margins above 80% before accounting for distribution costs and AI model training expenses.

Former White House AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks joined the debate, arguing that if OpenAI and Anthropic believe their next models are too risky, they should slow down themselves without requiring lawmakers or regulators to pace the frontier.

The China Factor in AI Slowdown Efforts

Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei expressed concerns over China’s role in the global AI landscape, calling it the "toughest dilemma" in implementing a global speed limit. Amodei warned that military and strategic advantages create powerful incentives for countries to accelerate development, though he acknowledged a global speed limit would be difficult to achieve.

Dan Ives, Partner and Senior Managing Director at Yorkville Ives, countered that China is unlikely to slow down despite self-regulation calls. He noted that the pace of innovation will remain a focus for the tech industry and Beltway, with sovereign AI playing a key role.

Anthropic has informed investors that it expects to report profitability for a second consecutive quarter. The artificial intelligence developer’s update signals an improvement in its financial trajectory as it scales operations.

The company did not disclose specific revenue figures, profit margins, or cash flow data in the communication to shareholders.

What the Numbers Show

The expectation of a second consecutive profitable quarter suggests that Anthropic is maintaining positive net income while scaling its AI infrastructure. However, without disclosed absolute figures on revenue growth or operating expenses, the sustainability of this profitability relative to capital expenditure remains unquantified in the source material.