Running finance at one of the world's most valuable AI companies means juggling a $30 billion fundraising, an IPO, and a lawsuit against the US government. That's the reality for Krishna Rao, Anthropic's CFO.
Rao joined Anthropic in 2024, bringing experience from guiding Airbnb through its IPO. In early 2026, the company closed a $30B Series G, pushing its valuation to $380 billion. Anthropic, maker of the Claude AI models, is now one of the most valuable private companies globally.
Rao is leading multi-cloud, multi-chip compute deals to keep pace with rivals like OpenAI and Google DeepMind without relying on a single provider.
In May 2026, Anthropic announced a new AI services company alongside Blackstone, Hellman & Friedman, and Goldman Sachs. The venture targets mid-size enterprises with Claude-powered AI tools.
Anthropic filed a lawsuit against the Pentagon over a designation that Rao says risks cutting 2026 revenue by "multiple billions of dollars" and causing near-term losses of "hundreds of millions." CEO Dario Amodei apologized last week for how the company handled failed talks.
The IPO, widely expected for 2026, now faces uncertainty. Analyst Dan Ives points to the Pentagon dispute as a complicating factor. The AI services venture may serve as a hedge against the deteriorating government relationship.