Anthropic's Claude dominates conversation at HumanX AI conference as OpenAI faces criticism
Key Points
- Anthropic's Claude was the most discussed chatbot at the HumanX AI conference.
- OpenAI's ChatGPT received significantly less attention from vendors and attendees.
- Recent controversies, including a critical New Yorker profile, have hurt OpenAI's reputation.
- OpenAI halted several side projects, focusing on business and coding services.
- A new $100 monthly ChatGPT tier aims to boost usage of its Codex coding tool.
- Wall Street Journal data shows OpenAI and Anthropic as two of the fastest‑growing tech firms.
- Industry insiders say Claude's reliability is driving its adoption across enterprises.
At the HumanX AI conference in San Francisco, attendees repeatedly cited Anthropic's Claude as the leading chatbot for business and coding tasks, while OpenAI's ChatGPT received noticeably less buzz. Industry insiders linked the shift to OpenAI's recent controversies, product missteps and a new $100 subscription tier aimed at recapturing market share. The contrast highlighted growing competition in the agentic AI space, with Anthropic gaining ground among enterprise users.
San Francisco—Thousands of tech professionals packed the Moscone Center for the HumanX AI conference this week, and the name on most lips was Claude, Anthropic’s flagship chatbot. Panels and informal conversations alike praised the tool’s ability to handle business workflows and assist developers, positioning it as the go‑to agentic AI for many enterprises.
OpenAI’s ChatGPT, by contrast, was mentioned far less often. Vendors on the expo floor told reporters they favored Claude for its reliability and ease of integration, while some expressed disappointment with OpenAI’s recent product direction. One vendor remarked that OpenAI seemed to have “gone downhill,” echoing a broader sentiment that the company’s focus has drifted.
The perception shift follows a string of high‑profile setbacks for OpenAI. Last month, the firm shelved several side projects, including its AI video generator Sora and a planned “sexy” version of ChatGPT, to concentrate on business and coding services. Simultaneously, a New Yorker profile questioning CEO Sam Altman’s trustworthiness and OpenAI’s partnership with the Trump administration stirred negative buzz.
Even OpenAI’s leadership tried to defend its standing. Sierra’s co‑founder and OpenAI board chair Bret Taylor told reporters that Altman remains “a remarkable leader of AI.” Yet critics argue the company appears reactive, scrambling to address controversies rather than steering the industry.
Despite the challenges, OpenAI’s financials remain strong. The Wall Street Journal recently reported that both OpenAI and Anthropic rank among the fastest‑growing tech businesses. Nonetheless, data suggest Anthropic is closing the gap among business users, with Claude gaining traction in sectors that demand robust, agentic assistance.
In a bid to win back developers, OpenAI announced a new $100‑per‑month ChatGPT subscription tier that offers expanded access to Codex, its coding assistant. OpenAI CTO Srinivas Narayanan told Bloomberg’s Rachel Metz that the pace of AI innovation is “incredible,” noting that the field has transformed dramatically in just a few months.
Anthropic’s momentum at HumanX underscores a broader market realignment. As companies scramble to embed AI into everyday workflows, the tools that deliver consistent performance and clear value propositions are emerging as the new standards.
While OpenAI continues to roll out new offerings, the conference highlighted a growing appetite for alternatives that can deliver on the promise of agentic AI without the baggage of recent controversies. Whether Anthropic can sustain its lead remains to be seen, but for now, Claude enjoys the spotlight that many expected OpenAI to command.