Israeli AI Firm Decart Set for $7 Billion Acquisition by Anthropic in AI Race

Israeli artificial intelligence company Decart is on the verge of a landmark acquisition by American AI giant Anthropic, with the deal valued at an estimated $7 billion. This transaction is notable not only for its size but also because Anthropic plans to relocate significant operations to Israel, placing Decart's teams at the forefront of developing artificial general intelligence (AGI), considered the ultimate frontier in AI technology.

Founded in late 2023 by Dr. Dean Leitersdorf, Moshe Shalev, and later joined by Dr. Orian Leitersdorf, Decart has rapidly risen to prominence. The Leitersdorf brothers, recognized as some of Israel's brightest tech minds, hold over 60% of the company's shares. If the deal closes as expected, each founder could receive around $1.5 billion, primarily in Anthropic stock, which is anticipated to debut on the New York Stock Exchange soon.

Decart's technology significantly accelerates AI processing speeds and optimizes training and inference processes, giving Anthropic a competitive edge in the global race for AGI against rivals like OpenAI, Google, Meta, and Elon Musk's SpaceX. The company's breakthrough video AI model, capable of generating continuous video content, impressed even Musk, who reportedly reacted with "wow."

The acquisition is expected to transform Israel's AI ecosystem, attracting further international investment and research centers. Unlike other startups, Decart generated millions in revenue shortly after its founding, underscoring its technological depth. The deal also involves Sequoia Capital, Decart's major investor, which has played a pivotal role in the company's growth and strategic direction.

Anthropic's planned IPO in September, potentially valuing the company at $2 trillion, may hinge on this acquisition, which promises to reduce cloud infrastructure costs and improve chatbot responsiveness. The final announcement of the deal is anticipated soon, marking a significant milestone for Israeli high-tech and the global AI industry.