OpenAI Executive Launches Blistering Attack on Rival Anthropic in Internal Memo
In a remarkably candid internal communication, OpenAI's chief revenue officer Denise Dresser has launched a direct and comprehensive assault on rival AI company Anthropic. The memo, sent to employees over the weekend and obtained by The Verge, reads less like a strategic briefing and more like a meticulously constructed legal case against a courtroom opponent.
Revenue Accounting Takes Center Stage in AI Rivalry
Dresser's most pointed criticism targets Anthropic's revenue reporting methodology. The memo claims that Anthropic's reported annualized revenue of $30 billion by March is inflated by approximately $8 billion due to how the company accounts for cloud partnerships with tech giants Google and Amazon.
"Their accounting treatment makes revenue look bigger than it is," Dresser wrote, specifically accusing Anthropic of grossing up revenue-sharing deals rather than reporting net figures. According to OpenAI's calculations, this adjustment would reduce Anthropic's stated $30 billion run rate to around $22 billion—conveniently placing it behind OpenAI's reported $24 billion revenue figure.
Anthropic has disputed this characterization, maintaining that it recognizes gross revenue because it serves as the principal in these transactions, with cloud partners functioning as distribution channels.
Philosophical Divide and Strategic Differences
The memo reveals a deep philosophical rift between the two AI powerhouses. Dresser wrote that "their story is built on fear, restriction, and the idea that a small group of elites should control AI"—a characterization that directly mirrors OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's longstanding positioning of his company as a more democratizing force in artificial intelligence.
This philosophical criticism echoes Altman's February statement that "Anthropic serves an expensive product to rich people," highlighting the ongoing narrative battle between the two companies as they approach potential public offerings.
Compute Strategy Emerges as Critical Battleground
Dresser's memo also identifies what she describes as a significant strategic blunder by Anthropic: its conservative approach to acquiring computing capacity. According to the document, OpenAI has secured 8 gigawatts of computing capacity and is targeting 30 gigawatts by 2030, while it expects Anthropic to reach just 7 to 8 gigawatts by the end of 2027.
"Their strategic misstep to not acquire enough compute is showing up in the product," Dresser asserted, pointing to throttling issues and weaker availability as symptoms of this computational shortfall.
Competitive Landscape and IPO Implications
The timing of Dresser's memo is particularly notable given recent market developments. Anthropic's annualized revenue reportedly surged from $9 billion at the end of 2025 to $30 billion by March, fueled largely by demand for its coding tools. Meanwhile, Dresser acknowledged that "the market is as competitive as I have ever seen it," dedicating substantial portions of the four-page document to dismantling Anthropic's business narrative.
Both companies are burning billions of dollars annually and racing toward initial public offerings, with investors now openly questioning OpenAI's $852 billion valuation. The revenue and narrative war between them serves as a preview of what investors will hear during their respective IPO roadshows, with both companies expected to go public this year.
OpenAI's Strategic Pivot and Enterprise Focus
Beyond the criticism of Anthropic, Dresser's memo contained a rallying cry for OpenAI to enhance its execution in the enterprise sector. She urged the company to stop thinking of itself as a multi-product company and instead "think like a platform company with multiple entry points and one integrated enterprise offering."
The executive emphasized that multi-year, nine-figure deals with enterprise clients are increasing—territory that OpenAI now most wants to defend as competition intensifies in the artificial intelligence landscape.
The unusually blunt internal communication reveals an OpenAI that appears increasingly concerned about Anthropic's momentum, even as both companies prepare for what promises to be one of the most closely watched technology IPOs in recent memory.
