Could an Anthropic IPO put your 401(k) at risk? The AI safety debate hits a new dimension.

By Christine Ji

Anthropic and NYC Comptroller Mark Levine have opened a line of communication to discuss 'existential risks' posed by AI and what that could mean for the company's future stock

Investors have reportedly discussed a lower $1.5 trillion valuation for Anthropic, down from an earlier $2 trillion target.

As Anthropic prepares to go public, Wall Street is grappling with the unprecedented question of how to price the risks associated with artificial-intelligence calamity.

In the company's IPO prospectus, Anthropic reportedly warned that the technology could pose "existential risks to humanity," according to a Wednesday report from the Financial Times. The story noted that the company flagged the potential for AI to display unpredictable and malicious behaviors as "risk factors." Anthropic has yet to make its filing public.

On Wednesday, New York City Comptroller Mark Levine sent a letter to Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei urging the company to pause its IPO proceedings until it fully addresses safety and governance issues surrounding AI technology. Anthropic and Levine are holding open discussions.

"If they go public and then there is a catastrophic safety incident beyond, far beyond, what we've seen right now, that would be terrible for their stock," Levine said in an interview with Bloomberg on Friday.

Anthropic's initial public offering is projected to be one of the biggest ever - potentially surpassing SpaceX's (SPCX) $1.77 trillion public debut. An IPO of that scale would likely have a large impact on major stock indexes, Levine noted. As comptroller, he oversees New York City's pension funds, which hold over $325 billion in assets, and he's concerned that passive index-tracking funds will automatically absorb exposure to Anthropic and AI risk.

The city has around $120 billion in passive investments, Levine said. Once Anthropic goes public, it will be subject to increased financial scrutiny and new pressures that may distract it from AI safety, Levine added.

Anthropic did not immediately respond to a MarketWatch request for comment.

Safety concerns aside, investors appear to be dialing back their expectations for Anthropic's IPO as new details about the company's financials have emerged. During its investor day, Anthropic shared that it generated $16.8 billion in the quarter that ended Sept. 30. While that was up 50% from the previous quarter, revenue growth decelerated from the 140% jump between the first and second quarter of 2026, according to Wednesday's Financial Times story.

According to a Thursday Reuters report, some investors are now discussing a $1.5 trillion valuation for Anthropic, down from a $2 trillion target valuation previously.

-Christine Ji

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10-16-26 1437ET