The Tech Industry’s Love/Hate Relationship With Anthropic

Anthropic is one of the most sought-after employers for tech professionals while simultaneously being the center of criticism in the AI industry.

 On Blind, the anonymous workplace community, discussions shed light on the not-so-silent prayers for Anthropic’s downfall—63% of people think Anthropic’s profits will drop to $500 billion or less.

However, the desire to break into the company remains high, with Blind users frequently asking for referrals and interview tips.

Why the determination to be hired at a company you don’t believe has longevity in the tech industry?

In for the Money, Out for the Work-Life Balance

According to comments on Blind, the work-life balance is no better than reported from Amazonians, with one user sharing, “Sounds like crunch time, nearly 997 schedule, and folks bailing as soon as their stocks vest with rough avg employee tenure around 2 years or less.“

Anthropic seems to be aware of their employee retention problem and has been asking interviewees the tough questions:

“What would you do if you were hired at Anthropic and the stock dropped to zero?” 

The responses are what you'd expect from tech professionals trying to claw their way into the company in hopes of a good payout: "I'm here for the mission of the company, not the stock price." 

However, when it comes down to it, professionals say they'll lie for the job offer and leave if the stock ever does drop too low.

The Data Behind Praying on Anthropic’s Downfall

In a recent Blind poll asking, "Do you think it is risky for Anthropic to be going through an IPO while not making a profit?", 38% of respondents said yes, 44% said no, and 18% were unsure.

Anthropic’s reported earnings for second-quarter 2026 revenue exceeded $11.5 billion, marking the first time the company has reached its first profitable quarter. The company’s IPO valuation is targeted at $2 trillion, making the employees with longer tenures set to receive big payouts.

When asked, “Which best describes your view of Anthropic’s financial future?”, the results were split similarly as the previous question but with more negativity. 20% of respondents said it will become highly profitable, 21% believe in profitability with thin margins, 27% say it is highly unlikely the company will be profitable, and 17% believe it will require continued outside funding.

While interest in securing a role at the company remains high, confidence in its long-term profitability is significantly more tempered.

Is it just Anthropic receiving backlash, or are all AI companies being scrutinized by tech professionals?

The survey asked respondents, “ How long do you think it will take for major AI companies to become consistently profitable?” and the split remained similar to the other questions.

18% of professionals said it would take 1-3 years, 27% said 3-5 years, 24% voted 5-10 years, 10% said over 10 years, and 21% said it may never become profitable.