Read OpenAI’s latest internal memo about beating the competition — including Anthropic
A leaked memo shows OpenAI's CRO pushing to build a 'moat' and directly attacking rival Anthropic's strategy.
A four-page internal memo from OpenAI's Chief Revenue Officer, Denise Dresser, reveals the company's aggressive strategy to secure its market lead. The document, obtained by The Verge, emphasizes building a defensible 'moat' around its products to combat the ease with which users can switch between competing AI models. Dresser stresses that 'multi-product adoption makes us harder to replace' and argues OpenAI must stop thinking in separate product lines and instead act as a unified platform company with one integrated enterprise offering. The core directive is to lock in users and grow the enterprise business, moving away from 'side quests' to focus on major revenue drivers.
A significant portion of the memo is a direct attack on key rival Anthropic. Dresser writes that 'the market is as competitive as I have ever seen it' and critiques Anthropic's initial 'coding focus' as merely an 'early wedge.' She accuses Anthropic of being a vulnerable 'single-product company in a platform war,' inflating its stated financial run rate, and making a 'strategic misstep' by not acquiring enough computing power. The memo also contrasts the companies' philosophies, alleging Anthropic's story is 'built on fear, restriction, and the idea that a small group of elites should control AI,' while positioning OpenAI as offering 'democratic AI.' This comes as both companies are reportedly planning to go public this year, setting the stage for a high-stakes battle for enterprise clients and market dominance.
- OpenAI's CRO emphasizes building a 'moat' through multi-product adoption to lock in enterprise users and prevent churn.
- The memo directly attacks Anthropic, calling it a 'single-product company' and accusing it of inflating its financial run rate.
- The strategy shifts focus to a unified platform offering, moving away from 'side quests' to prioritize major enterprise revenue drivers.
Why It Matters
This signals an intense, public battle for the lucrative enterprise AI market, where customer lock-in and platform integration are becoming key differentiators.