AI giant Anthropic warns of 'existential risks to humanity' as it targets $2trn stock market debut

Updated: 04:42 EDT, 29 September 2026 AI giant Anthropic has warned that its technology poses 'existential risks to humanity' as it gears up for what is expected to be the most highly valued stock market float ever. In an unusual move, the startup behind the Claude tool highlighted the risks associated with its models, which could manipulate, blackmail and exhibit other 'self-preserving behaviours'.It told investors that advanced AI could pose 'catastrophic or existential risks to humanity' as it looks to list at a $2trillion valuation later this year.The firm led by Dario Amodei dedicated almost a third of its 261-page IPO prospectus to laying out the risk factors, nearly twice the 48 pages it used to describe its business.The formal warning to investors comes just two weeks after top AI bosses, including Amodei, called for a slowdown in the development of the technology amid mounting fears of the harm it could cause.'Our development of highly advanced models, platforms and applications and expansion of use cases could further increase the risk that our models cause harm,' Anthropic said in the filing. Catastrophic: Anthropic warns of the risks advanced AI poses to humanity as it targets IPOThe highly anticipated prospectus reveals Anthropic is targeting a potential valuation of $2trillion, more than double its estimated $965billion value in May and eclipsing SpaceX's blockbuster $1.78trillion float in June.But like Elon Musk's firm, Anthropic is spending billions of dollars on technology. The filing shows the company spent $7.33billion on computing and infrastructure last year, three times more than 2024, and is forecasting $518billion over the coming year.At the same time, Anthropic revealed operating losses exceeding $8billion, and warned that nearly a quarter of its revenue came from two clients and many of its largest customers could cut spending.The IPO, which is expected after the US midterm elections in November, comes as concerns over AI have intensified and firms have revealed major breaches.Anthropic last week released a new version of its Opus model, a week after Amodei called for the sector to pace development. He has previously warned that a swarm of AI agents may be able to take over the internet in six months to a year unless firms spend more time on developing safety protocols.Anthropic has in recent weeks vowed to disclose more data publicly about how it uses its models to build future technology, as experts warn about 'recursive self improvement' – when models can develop on their own without external help.'We believe building reliable, trustworthy, and secure AI systems is a collective responsibility and that the market will reward it,' Anthropic said in the filing.Separately, OpenAI today announced plans to delay its new model over safety concerns as it comes under intense scrutiny.The firm, led by Sam Altman, said the system 'didn't quite meet the bar' of its standards, just days after it was revealed its model had accessed Australian government websites and systems without authorisation.Will UK investors have access to Anthropic's IPO? It is not yet clear whether UK retail investors will be granted access to the Anthropic IPO, as they were with SpaceX.The SpaceX IPO was the first ever use of the Financial Conduct Authority's Public Offer Platform regime, which came into effect in January.It allowed over 100,000 UK investors to buy shares in Elon Musk's firm, paving the way for other US firms, such as Anthropic, to follow suit.Once Anthropic has set a date for its IPO, trading platforms in the UK will have a clearer idea of whether there is an allocation for DIY investors.If not, investors will need to wait until the first day of its listing, when the shares should become freely tradeable.DIY INVESTING PLATFORMSAJ BellAJ BellEasy investing and ready-made portfoliosHargreaves LansdownHargreaves LansdownFree fund dealing and investment ideasinteractive investorinteractive investorFlat-fee investing from £4.99 per monthFreetradeFreetradeInvesting Isa now free on basic planTrading 212Trading 212Free share dealing and no account feeAffiliate links: If you take out a product This is Money may earn a commission. These deals are chosen by our editorial team, as we think they are worth highlighting. This does not affect our editorial independence.Compare the best investing account for you