Anthropic surpasses OpenAI in business customers for first time

In a significant development, Anthropic has surpassed OpenAI in verified business clients for the first time, as revealed in the May 2026 AI Index by fintech company Ramp. Analysis of Ramp's client spending indicates that 34.4% of the businesses are utilizing Anthropic services, compared to 32.3% for OpenAI. This achievement marks Anthropic's first lead in this area. According to Ramp economist Ara Kharazian, Anthropic excels in sectors with high adoption rates, such as finance, technology, and professional services, although OpenAI maintains a lead in other areas, with the gap narrowing. The index surveyed over 50,000 companies. Anthropic's market share rose from 9% in May 2025 to 34.4% over the past year, reflecting a 26% increase, while OpenAI's share dropped by 1%. Kharazian noted skepticism about the sustainability of this lead but acknowledged Anthropic’s strategic focus on technical clients and its growth through tools like Cowork.