Anthropic IPO could value company above US$1 trillion

Key Takeaways

• <ul><li>Nvidia faces governance and federal scrutiny after Jensen Huang admitted a relationship with an alleged Chinese spy, pushing investors toward alternatives like Astera Labs, Credo, and MaxLinear.</li><li>Anthropic's IPO could value the company above US$1 trillion, backed by Nvidia, Microsoft, and Google, while spotlighting infrastructure suppliers like Monolithic Power Systems and Synopsys.</li><li>OpenAI launched Business Agents in ChatGPT, letting verified U.S. businesses publish product catalogs and respond to customer questions directly on the platform.</li><li>Salesforce's share price fell 27% in 30 days with a P/E ratio of 73.8x, well above the U.S. Software industry average of 30.3x, despite AI partnerships.</li><li>Finite State raised $27 million to expand its AI-powered security platform for connected devices used by power grids, automakers, and medical device makers.</li><li>The Australian STEM Video Game Challenge was cancelled after students used generative AI to create entire games, making judging impossible.</li><li>OpenAI agreed to buy Google's Tensor Processing Units to reduce reliance on Nvidia chips.</li><li>Nearly half of U.S. states have passed laws addressing AI-generated political content as generative AI use in campaigns rises.</li><li>President Trump revealed he threatened to jail an AI company executive over security concerns but said he is open to safety legislation.</li><li>Cohesive AI acquired Maverick AI to bring agentic sales workflows to commercial roofing and adjacent trades like HVAC and painting.</li></ul>

3 US AI Chip Stocks Beyond Nvidia Leader Risk

Nvidia faced a governance storm after Jensen Huang admitted a relationship with an alleged Chinese spy and federal scrutiny emerged. Investors are now seeking large-cap chip stocks with less dependence on a single leader. The article highlights Astera Labs, Credo Technology Group Holding, and MaxLinear as alternatives. These companies focus on data center connectivity and communications chips for AI infrastructure. All three are filtered through a screener emphasizing diversified AI markets and reduced single-person risk.

3 Exchange Stocks to Watch as AI Trading Grows

Anthropic's planned IPO with a potential valuation above US$1 trillion has spotlighted exchange operators that earn fees from trading and listings. The article highlights B3, London Stock Exchange Group, and Singapore Exchange. B3 operates Brazil's main stock exchange and is expanding electronic trade receivables infrastructure. London Stock Exchange Group reports 95% of its top 200 customers use at least one AI tool. Singapore Exchange earns fees across equities, derivatives, and fixed income markets in Singapore.

3 AI Infrastructure Stocks for Data Center Spending

Anthropic's pursuit of up to US$90.4b through its IPO and private placements has spotlighted AI infrastructure spending. The article highlights Monolithic Power Systems, Lattice Semiconductor, and Synopsys. Monolithic Power Systems supplies power chips for AI servers with data center exposure approaching 50% of revenue. Lattice Semiconductor provides low-power FPGAs for data center control and security platforms. Synopsys offers AI-driven chip design tools and acquired Ansys to expand its engineering solutions portfolio.

Is ServiceNow a Bargain Amid AI Partnership and Valuation Concerns

Kyndryl launched Kyndryl Autonomous Operations for ServiceNow on the ServiceNow Store. Despite AI partnership news, ServiceNow's share price fell 27% over 30 days and 30.3% year to date. The stock closed at $102.76 against a narrative fair value of $154, suggesting 33% undervaluation. However, reported net profit margins dropped to 9.4% from 13.7%, and the P/E ratio of 73.8x exceeds the US Software industry average of 30.3x. The debate centers on whether ServiceNow is a workflow utility or an overvalued software company.

3 AI Stocks with Revenue Growth Over 41%

Anthropic's push for a valuation near $1.4t backed by Nvidia, Microsoft, and Google has focused attention on AI infrastructure companies. The article highlights Cipher Digital, CoreWeave, and IREN. Cipher Digital operates a 5.3 gigawatt data center portfolio across 11 US locations for AI and bitcoin mining. CoreWeave runs a GPU-focused cloud platform with US$7.6b in data processing revenue but faces stranded asset risk from heavy debt. IREN operates integrated data centers earning $578 million from bitcoin mining and $129 million from AI Cloud Services.

Salesforce and two AI stocks to watch amid IPO boom

Salesforce is a $175.8 billion software company using Agentforce AI agents to help businesses manage work. Systena is a Tokyo IT services firm integrating AI and robotics into enterprise systems with nearly 4% yield. Super Micro Computer builds AI data center hardware and servers for training large AI models. All three are seen as undervalued options tied to the AI buildout. The article highlights them as alternatives to high-profile AI IPOs like Anthropic.

Three enterprise software stocks for AI cost cutting

Enea is a Stockholm software provider helping telecom companies optimize network traffic using AI. IONOS Group offers cloud and web tools and says AI contributed about 20% of new revenue in 2025. Allgeier is a Munich IT services firm helping businesses modernize software and manage cloud costs. All three focus on helping companies cut expenses through AI efficiency. The article frames them as potential picks amid concerns over AI spending and data center profits.

OpenAI lets businesses claim profiles in ChatGPT

OpenAI launched a feature letting businesses claim their profiles in ChatGPT and set up AI customer service agents. Eligible U.S. retailers and service businesses can verify their identity using phone numbers, email, websites, or Shopify accounts. Once verified, companies can publish product catalogs and respond to customer questions through a Business Agent. Business Hub shows aggregated activity like website clicks and common customer questions over the past 28 days. The tools aim to help merchants connect with shoppers directly inside ChatGPT.

OpenAI introduces Businesses in ChatGPT

OpenAI announced Businesses in ChatGPT, a beta tool letting companies claim their profiles and manage information. Businesses can update details, add product feeds with pricing, and see insights on how users engage with them. The feature also introduces Business Agents, which can answer customer questions and help people explore products. Business Agents are available to eligible U.S. ecommerce and online service businesses. The update aims to give businesses new ways to reach the 1.2 billion weekly ChatGPT users.

Finite State raises $27 million for AI product security

Finite State, based in Columbus, Ohio, raised $27 million to expand its AI-powered security platform. The funding will help device makers find gaps between planned software and what runs on finished hardware. The company addresses growing concerns about vulnerabilities in connected devices, sometimes called the Vulnpocalypse. Its customers include power grids, automakers, and medical device makers. New regulations like the EU Cyber Resilience Act also increase demand for security built into products before they ship.

Finite State Secures $27 Million to Expand AI Security Platform

Finite State raised $27 million in Series C funding led by The O.H.I.O. Fund. The company uses AI and machine learning to protect devices from cyber attacks. The money will help expand international operations and improve product offerings. Finite State aims to lead the AI-powered device security market.

Australian STEM Game Challenge Ends Due to AI Entries

The Australian STEM Video Game Challenge was cancelled because students used generative AI to make entire games. Organizers said it became too hard to judge what students created themselves. Cathy Zemaitis from ACER confirmed AI was the main reason. No alternative plans exist for the program moving forward.

Generative AI Use in Political Campaigns Rising, Study Finds

A study examines the growing use of generative AI in political campaigns. Public concern is rising over distrust of candidates and the authenticity of AI-generated political ads. Nearly half of U.S. states have passed laws that either ban or require disclosure of AI content in politics. The research highlights issues around non-disclosure and rising adoption.

Amazon and Walmart Advance AI Agents for Shopping

Amazon and Walmart are competing to use AI agents to influence how customers buy products. Walmart is improving its Sparky assistant for everyday shopping with new features including voice capabilities expected chainwide by year-end. Amazon is focusing on giving AI greater responsibility for business purchasing decisions. Both companies are moving AI agents closer to making actual transactions.

Trump Threatened AI Executive With Jail Over Security

President Trump revealed in a 60 Minutes interview that he threatened to jail an unidentified AI company executive over security concerns. He told the executive to say goodbye to family and prepare for detention. Trump said the executive changed course after the warning. He also stressed U.S. leadership in AI competition with China and said he is open to safety legislation.

Security and AI news from the week beginning 17 October 2026

OpenAI agreed to buy Google's Tensor Processing Units to reduce reliance on Nvidia chips. A major cyber attack on Binance was blamed on North Korea and $2.85bn was frozen. New concerns were raised about AI model safety and the PHP2Shell vulnerability causing chaos across the Internet.

AI threat detection cycle must move at insane lightspeed

Trellix's CTO warned that cybersecurity teams must detect threats within 15 minutes to reduce damage. Experts discussed how AI has made cyberattacks cheaper and more dangerous. CrowdStrike's Daniel Bernard urged the West to keep advancing AI despite the risks.

Cohesive AI acquires Maverick AI for commercial roofing sales

Cohesive AI, backed by Y Combinator, acquired Maverick AI to bring agentic sales workflows to commercial roofing. Maverick AI uses AI agents to find verified contacts for roofing contractors. The acquisition will expand Maverick's services to adjacent trades like HVAC and painting.

Sources

• 3 US AI Chip Stocks Beyond Nvidia Stock Key Person Risk
• 3 Exchange Stocks Worth Watching As AI Trading Activity Builds
• 3 AI Infrastructure Stocks Riding The Next Data Center Spending Wave
• Is ServiceNow (NOW) A Bargain As AI Partnership News Meets Valuation Doubts?
• 3 AI Stocks With Revenue Growth Over 41%
• Salesforce And 2 Other AI Stocks To Watch
• 3 Enterprise Software Stocks Built For Rising Demand In AI Cost Cutting
• OpenAI lets you claim your business in ChatGPT and set up a custom agentic AI customer sales rep
• Introducing Businesses in ChatGPT
• Finite State Raises $27 Million to Help Device Makers Fight ‘Vulnpocalypse’ with AI-Powered Product Security
• Finite State Raises $27 Million Series C to Expand AI-Powered Device Security
• Educational game dev program cancelled because students were submitting games made entirely with AI
• Measuring Generative AI Content in Political Campaigns: Evidence of Rising Adoption and Non-Disclosure
• Amazon and Walmart Bring AI Agents Closer to the Purchase
• Trump reveals he threatened to jail AI Executive over security concerns: ‘Kiss your wife goodnight’
• Security and AI news from the week beginning 17 October 2026
• AI threat detection cycle must move at insane lightspeed 15 minute clip, top cyber experts say
• Cohesive AI (YC X25) Acquires Maverick AI to Bring Agentic Sales Workflows to Commercial Roofing