Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei explains his spending caution, warning if AI growth forecasts are off by just a year, ‘then you go bankrupt’
Fortune
by Jason MaFebruary 14, 2026
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Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has emphasized the company’s cautious approach to spending compared to other AI hyperscalers like Amazon, Meta, and Alphabet, which are investing hundreds of billions in capital expenditures. Amodei explained that this measured strategy stems from the uncertainty surrounding the timing of economic returns from AI investments. While he believes Anthropic could develop models with capabilities akin to a "country of geniuses" within one to two years, he is less certain about how quickly these advancements will translate into revenue. He warned that even a slight miscalculation in growth projections—such as a delay or reduction in the growth rate—could lead to bankruptcy if the company overspends on data centers before seeing returns.
Amodei highlighted the potential risks of aggressive spending, using Anthropic’s own figures as an example. By 2026, he projects revenue could reach $10 billion, with plans to
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Originally published on Fortune on 2/14/2026