# Anthropic leads business AI spending, but OpenAI is closing the gap

> Anthropic leads business AI spending at 44%, OpenAI is catching up at 40%.

*New spending data from 70,000 US businesses shows the two leading AI labs locked in a tight race for corporate customers.*

By Behzad Hosseini · SuggestedTech
Canonical: https://suggestedtech.com/news/anthropic-leads-business-ai-spending-but-openai-is-closing-the-gap

If your company pays for AI tools, you're part of a much bigger shift: more businesses than ever are now paying for AI, and the two leading providers, Anthropic and OpenAI, are fighting hard for their custom.

## What happened

Ramp, a corporate card and spend-management company, tracks how more than 70,000 US businesses spend money on AI tools through its Ramp AI Index. The data shows Anthropic first overtook OpenAI in May 2026, with 41% of businesses paying for its products compared with OpenAI's 39%.

By July 2026, Anthropic had pulled further ahead, reaching nearly 44%. But OpenAI wasn't far behind at nearly 40%, and its share is rising again after dipping.

A big reason is OpenAI's GPT-5.6 Sol model, which is cheaper than Anthropic's premium Fable 5 and has become popular with software developers. Ara Kharazian, an economist at Ramp, said: "GPT-5.6 Sol is really good, increasingly the choice for developers."

That matters because Fable 5, Anthropic's top-tier model, has captured a smaller share of usage than the cheaper GPT-5.6 Sol, according to [TechCrunch](https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/20/openai-is-gaining-on-anthropic-with-business-users-new-data-indicates/). It suggests companies are reluctant to pay extra for small improvements in performance, and are choosing value over the very best available model.

The overall market is growing fast too. The share of Ramp's business customers paying for AI tools passed 50% in March 2026 and reached nearly 56% by July.

Anthropic reported a $65 billion run rate (a projection of annual revenue based on current income) in July, well ahead of OpenAI's roughly $40 billion.

## What it means for you

If you work at a company deciding which AI tools to buy, this data suggests price and everyday performance matter more than having the single most advanced model available. OpenAI's cheaper option is winning developers over precisely because it does the job well without costing as much as Anthropic's top model.

For anyone using AI at work, it also signals that competition between the two leading providers is intensifying, which can mean more choice and pressure on both companies to keep improving value for money.

## What happens next

The notes don't say what either company plans to do next. But with OpenAI's cheaper model gaining ground and Anthropic still ahead overall, the contest between the two looks set to stay close.

## Key takeaways

- Anthropic leads US business AI spending at nearly 44%, OpenAI close behind at nearly 40%
- OpenAI's cheaper GPT-5.6 Sol model is winning over developers, boosting its share
- Overall business AI adoption has jumped to nearly 56% of tracked companies by July

## Sources

- [OpenAI is gaining on Anthropic with business users, new data indicates](https://techcrunch.com/2026/08/20/openai-is-gaining-on-anthropic-with-business-users-new-data-indicates/) — TechCrunch, 2026-08-20