Anthropic gained a record number of subscribers after the scandal with the U.S. Department of Defense

Key Facts

What happened When it happened How it affected Record influx of paid Claude subscribers January‑February 2024 According to Indagari, the number of new paid users rose to 18–30 million (exact figure unknown), and this year – more than twice as much as last year. Triggering events February 2024 • Anthropic’s advertising spots during the Super Bowl, criticism of OpenAI for in‑ChatGPT ads. • Conflict with the U.S. Department of Defense (disagreements over AI use in combat operations and mass surveillance). Legal disputes 26 February 2024 CEO Dario Amodei opposed the DoD threats, after which a court temporarily overturned the ministry’s decision to label the company as a “threat”.

How events influenced subscription growth
1. Viral advertising campaigns
- Super Bowl spots sparked public resonance and increased Claude’s visibility, attracting new users.

2. Public conflict with government
- Discussion of Anthropic’s refusal to use AI for combat tasks and mass surveillance generated interest in the company’s “ethical” approach.
- The court defense strengthened its reputation as an independent player in the AI market.

3. New developer tools
- In January Claude Code and Claude Cowork were launched, allowing users to integrate the model into their projects.
- The Computer Use feature (autonomous computer control) also contributed to demand growth.

Results
- Paid subscriptions: According to Indagari – 18–30 million new users, more than double the increase this year.
- Corporate segment: Not included in these figures but remains Anthropic’s main revenue source.
- Comparison with ChatGPT: Despite growth, Claude has not yet surpassed OpenAI in paying user numbers.

Thus, a combination of viral advertising, public conflict, and new products spurred a record influx of subscribers to the Anthropic service.