SpaceX just went public in the largest IPO in history, and the obvious next question is lighting up search bars everywhere: what about the AI companies? Can I buy OpenAI? Can I invest in Anthropic, the maker of Claude? Both are among the most valuable private companies on earth, both are central to the AI boom, and both just took a major step toward the public markets. Here is exactly where things stand, the honest ways to get exposure today, and the traps to steer clear of.

The short answer

Not directly, not yet, for most people. Both companies are still private. Both filed to go public in 2026 and could list later in the year, but until they actually do, ordinary investors generally cannot buy their shares directly.

Where things stand in 2026

The race to the public markets is genuinely on. Anthropic filed confidential IPO paperwork around the start of June 2026, reportedly at a valuation near $1 trillion. OpenAI followed about a week later with its own confidential filing, valued in the hundreds of billions. Both have said timing is not finalized and a listing may still be months away, with late 2026 floated as a possibility. A confidential filing is an early step, not a date on the calendar, so treat any specific timeline you see as a guess.

The takeaway: these are real, advancing IPO plans, but neither company is buyable on a public exchange today.

Why you cannot buy in directly yet

This is simply what being a private company means. Private companies do not sell shares on public exchanges, and they are not required to publish the detailed financials that public companies must. Their shares are generally available only to employees, venture funds, and accredited investors, a legal category that usually requires a high income or net worth. That is why, for years, ordinary investors watching these companies grow have been stuck on the sidelines.

The trade-off works in your favor once they list. When a company goes public, it has to file regular, audited reports with regulators, which means far more transparency than any private share offer can give you. Waiting for the public listing is not just the safe option, it is the one where you can actually see what you are buying.

The honest indirect routes

Here is the good news, and it is the part the scammy pre-IPO ads do not want you to hear: you can already get sensible exposure to the AI boom, including to OpenAI and Anthropic specifically, through the public companies that have poured money into them.

The big backers you can buy today
Microsoft and Nvidia are major investors in and partners of OpenAI. Amazon, Alphabet, and Nvidia are major backers of Anthropic. All of these are large, public, easily purchased companies. Owning them gives you a real, if indirect, stake in the success of these AI labs.
The simplest route of all: a broad index fund
You probably already own the backers. Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, and Alphabet are among the largest holdings in any S&P 500 or total-market index fund. So a single broad index fund hands you diversified exposure to the AI theme without betting on one company, and without paying a premium for hype.
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The reframe: You do not need pre-IPO access to invest in AI. If you own a broad index fund, you already own the companies funding and powering OpenAI and Anthropic, in sensible proportion, with full transparency. When the labs themselves go public, your fund may add them too, automatically.

The pre-IPO traps to avoid

Wherever there is hype and a closed door, sellers appear claiming they can get you in early. Be extremely careful here, because this is one of the most fraud-prone corners of investing.

Unauthorized "pre-IPO share" platforms
In 2026, Anthropic publicly warned that several secondary-market platforms offering its shares were unauthorized, and that related transactions would be deemed invalid. If the company itself is disavowing a marketplace, that is as clear a red flag as you will ever get. An offer to sell you shares does not mean the seller can actually deliver valid ownership.
SPVs and funds with steep premiums
Some vehicles pool money to hold private shares, but they often charge high fees and can trade at large premiums to the underlying value. You can badly overpay for the access itself, and that premium can vanish.
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The rule of thumb: If someone is offering an everyday investor "exclusive" pre-IPO shares in a hot AI company, treat it as guilty until proven innocent. Verify directly with the company, assume high fees and fraud risk, and remember that the patient, transparent route, waiting for the public listing, is almost always the better deal.

What happens when they go public

Once OpenAI or Anthropic actually lists, buying becomes simple: any standard brokerage account can purchase the stock, just like any other public company. But simple to buy does not mean smart to rush. Everything we said about the first day of trading and the SpaceX IPO will apply: the debut is usually the most hyped, most volatile, and most expensive moment to buy. The calm move will be to let the price settle and wait for real public financials.

What a beginner should actually do

  • Accept that you cannot buy OpenAI or Anthropic directly until they go public.
  • Get AI exposure the honest way, through a broad index fund that already holds their big public backers.
  • Ignore any offer of "exclusive" pre-IPO shares, and never wire money to an unverified platform.
  • When they do list, do not chase the first day. Let the price settle.
  • Keep any single-company AI bet small, on top of a diversified foundation built in the right order.

The quick version

  • You cannot directly buy OpenAI or Anthropic yet; both are still private
  • Both filed confidential IPO paperwork in 2026 and could list later in the year
  • Private shares are generally limited to employees and accredited investors
  • The honest indirect route is owning their public backers: Microsoft, Nvidia, Amazon, Alphabet
  • A broad index fund already holds those companies, giving diversified AI exposure
  • Anthropic warned that some pre-IPO share platforms are unauthorized, so be very cautious
  • When they go public, buying is easy, but do not chase the hyped first day

The desire to own a piece of the AI revolution is understandable, and you do not have to chase shady pre-IPO offers to do it. Own the broad market, hold the real public companies building this future, and wait calmly for the labs themselves to list. The patient, transparent path is also the one most likely to make you money.