Eric Schmidt Wrote a Check to Anthropic Before the AI Boom: Here’s How Big the Payoff Could Get
Key takeaways
- Schmidt’s early bet on Anthropic could net him up to $80 billion if the company IPOs at a $2 trillion valuation, making it one of the biggest individual windfalls in the AI space.
- Schmidt owns ~1% of Anthropic
- Anthropic valued at $461M in 2021
- Anthropic valued at $1.8–$2T recently
What happened
Former Google CEO Eric Schmidt is believed to own about 1 % of Anthropic PBC through an early Series A investment of tens of millions of dollars made in 2021 when the company was valued at $461 million. Anthropic’s valuation has since surged to between $1.8 trillion and $2 trillion, meaning Schmidt’s stake could be worth up to $80 billion and lift his net worth to roughly $137 billion. Anthropic has not set an IPO date but is expected to go public in weeks, with third‑quarter revenue up 45 %…
Why it matters
The potential upside for Schmidt is one of the largest individual gains that could come from an AI‑focused IPO, highlighting the scale of value creation in the sector. Anthropic’s rapid valuation climb underscores investor enthusiasm for generative‑AI platforms and signals that the market is willing to pay premium…
Short-term and longer-term
Short-term. Over the next few weeks, watch for Anthropic’s IPO announcement and any pricing guidance.
Longer-term. In the months ahead, the Anthropic IPO could reshape the AI investment landscape, prompting investors to reallocate capital toward AI‑focused companies.