Claude from Anthropic eclipses ChatGPT at the HumanX conference

Claude from Anthropic at the Heart of Discussions at HumanX

The HumanX conference on artificial intelligence, held this week at the Moscone Center in San Francisco, attracted thousands of tech enthusiasts. Discussions primarily focused on the impact of AI agents in the business world. These agents, which automate business and programming tasks, are increasingly integrated across various sectors, notably through chatbots aimed at businesses and consumers. Among the names mentioned, Claude, developed by Anthropic, stood out as the most popular chatbot.

Anthropic was a recurring topic during panels and informal discussions with attending vendors. The name Claude came up repeatedly, while ChatGPT, OpenAI's flagship product, seemed less present in conversations. One vendor even pointed out that their team extensively used Claude, suggesting that ChatGPT and OpenAI had lost their luster, or as is often said on the Internet, "had collapsed."

OpenAI Faces Perception Challenges

This perception of decline is not isolated. Despite a recent funding round of $122 billion and an imminent IPO, OpenAI appears to have lost its momentum. Several factors contribute to this impression, including the abandonment of side projects like the AI video generator Sora and a controversial plan to launch a "sexy" version of ChatGPT. Additionally, the company's work with the Trump administration has not improved its image, nor has its decision to integrate advertising into ChatGPT.

A recent article in the New Yorker questioned the reliability of OpenAI's CEO, Sam Altman, fueling negative buzz around the company. During a discussion at HumanX, Bret Taylor, co-founder and CEO of Sierra, and chairman of OpenAI's board, defended Altman. When asked by Alex Heath about the New Yorker profile, Taylor stated, "I think Sam is one of the most visible leaders and executives in the world. If you want to look for detractors for him, you'll find them, and they will be very vocal about it. I think Sam is remarkable. I think he is an exceptional leader in the field of AI, and I really trust his character as someone who has worked with him."

OpenAI Responds with New Offerings

Despite these challenges, OpenAI remains determined to maintain its dominant position. This week, the company announced a new $100 subscription tier for ChatGPT, offering significantly increased access to Codex, its programming tool. This move seems clearly designed to encourage broader use of the tool while hoping to draw users away from Claude Code.

The Wall Street Journal recently analyzed the finances of OpenAI and Anthropic, revealing that they are among "the fastest-growing companies in the history of technology." This shows that, although OpenAI may no longer be the undisputed champion, it remains a major force in the sector.

An Uncertain but Promising Future

During a discussion at HumanX with Bloomberg journalist Rachel Metz, Srinivas Narayanan, CTO of OpenAI's B2B applications, noted how rapidly the tech landscape is evolving. "We are in an incredible moment in technology, where every month, and sometimes every day, we are all expecting something new," he said. Referring to assisted programming as an example, he added, "We knew that AI was going to impact software engineering; people have been using assisted programming since last year, but even in the last few months, the entire field has changed."

Agentic achievements are currently a major topic of interest for the tech community, while other applications of AI, such as creative uses, have yet to truly bear fruit. Nevertheless, the amount of work that companies have begun to delegate to their new little automated assistants is somewhat surprising. As Narayanan noted, all of this has happened in a relatively short period. In such an unpredictable environment, the future remains wide open.