7 in 10 Investors Plan to Buy OpenAI or Anthropic IPO

Among Americans who invest in the stock market, 70% plan to buy shares in OpenAI, Anthropic, or both at IPO. For most who don't plan to buy, the obstacle is unfamiliarity, not distrust of AI.

By Jack Caporal – Updated Jun 10, 2026 at 5:19 PM EST | Fact-checked by Parker Hicks

Key Points

69% of frequent AI tool users and current stock investors plan to buy OpenAI or Anthropic shares.
Long-term investment intent is strong, with 21% planning to hold shares for over five years.
32% cite unfamiliarity not skepticism as the reason for not buying at IPO, indicating potential growth in investor base.

How often someone uses AI products – and whether they’re already invested in the stock market – predicts almost everything about how they will approach the OpenAI and Anthropic IPOs. According to a Motley Fool survey of 2,000 U.S. adults conducted June 2, 2026 who regularly uses ChatGPT or Claude, nearly 7 in 10 (69%) said they plan to buy shares in either or both companies at IPO. Roughly the same percentage of individual investors surveyed reported a similar sentiment.

A sign of confidence in OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, and Anthropic, the developer of Claude, is that many intended IPO buyers surveyed (21%) plan to stay invested through the initial volatility that often surrounds offerings. This translates to those who intend to buy shares plan to hold their shares for five or more years.

Investors should be aware, however, that enthusiasm is concentrated, and whether it broadens before these IPOs price is an important factor. A potentially promising sign is that the Americans who aren't planning to buy are largely not AI skeptics. They simply don't know enough about OpenAI and Anthropic – yet. As both companies raise their profiles through the IPO process, that pool of potential buyers could grow substantially.

Both AI leaders are now officially on a path to public markets. OpenAI confidentially filed IPO paperwork with the SEC on June 8, 2026. Anthropic filed confidentially a week earlier, targeting a fall offering.

The two companies are racing to define an emerging category of public AI companies, but they are not starting from the same position with individual investors. OpenAI's consumer recognition built through ChatGPT gives it a substantial advantage: 71% of Americans are familiar with OpenAI, compared with 45% for Anthropic. That gap shows up directly in purchase intent: 20% of all respondents plan to buy OpenAI shares only, 6% plan to buy Anthropic shares only, and 21% plan to buy both.

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Intent to buy is highest among people already engaged with AI tools and financial markets

Demand for the OpenAI and Anthropic IPOs is concentrated among people who already use AI products and own stocks. For investors trying to assess whether these offerings have broad interest and if they will be met with durable demand or just early enthusiasm, that profile is an important consideration. The survey results provide a better understanding of demand for both AI products and stocks.

69% of Americans who use AI tools like ChatGPT or Claude daily or nearly daily plan to buy OpenAI or Anthropic shares, the same percentage as among current stock investors. Product familiarity and financial market participation drive IPO intent at roughly equal rates.
Among people who have previously bought IPO stocks, intent to buy OpenAI or Anthropic shares climbs to 85%, the highest of any group surveyed. That is 38 percentage points above the general population.
Millennial investors show the highest intent to buy OpenAI or Anthropic shares at 54%, while baby boomers show the lowest at 30%. Gen Z comes in at 49% and Gen X at 42%, consistent with broader generational investing trends and attitudes toward AI stocks. The generational pattern tracks AI tool familiarity: younger Americans use ChatGPT and Claude more frequently and are more likely to have formed a view of their long-term value.

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Individual investor demand for these IPOs is driven by people who already know these products and already own stocks, not by a broad wave of first-time buyers.

Whether OpenAI and Anthropic can continue to grow awareness and product adoption leading up to their IPO’s will be a key signal for investors. OpenAI's consumer reach, built through ChatGPT, gives it a head start with individual investors that Anthropic, which has focused on enterprise customers, has not yet matched.

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Most anticipated OpenAI and Anthropic IPO buyers plan to hold for the long term.

A common concern around high-profile tech IPOs is that individual investor demand is driven by hype rather than conviction, and as a result, investors who buy around IPO are looking to quickly flip shares. The survey data tells a different story when it comes to Anthropic and OpenAI. Most people planning to buy shares when those companies IPO frame it as a long-term bet on AI, not a short-term trade, and their planned holding periods reflect that.

39% of prospective OpenAI and Anthropic IPO buyers cite belief in AI's long-term growth as their primary reason to invest, and another 25% point to confidence in each company's potential, according to The Motley Fool’s survey. Together, long-term conviction accounts for nearly two-thirds of the reasons cited.
Americans who use AI tools daily are even more likely to be driven by long-term conviction: 43% cite long-term AI growth as their motive to invest vs. 28% among light or non-users. People with direct product experience are translating that into an investment thesis.
Only 15% of prospective buyers plan to invest because they think the stock will pop on day one, and just 13% cite fear of missing out. Another 8% say they are buying because it feels like something everyone will invest in. Speculative and trend-driven reasons account for roughly one in three prospective buyers, which is a real but not dominant motivation.

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For investors assessing whether early individual investor demand will hold after a potential day-one run-up, those findings may offer reassurance. How long prospective investors plan to hold shares is another measure of conviction that could calm the nerves of those looking to buy and hold for years to come.

21% of prospective OpenAI and Anthropic IPO buyers plan to hold shares for five or more years, and another 15% plan to hold three to four years. An additional 27% plan to hold one to two years. Current stock market investors who plan to buy show slightly longer holding intentions than first-time buyers, at 39% vs. 31% planning to hold for three or more years.
Only 5% of intended OpenAI and Anthropic investors plan to sell within six months of the IPOs.
Younger generations show higher intent to buy but shorter planned holding periods than older generations. Gen Z has the second-highest purchase intent at 49%, but only 15% plan to hold for five or more years. Baby boomers show lower intent at 30%, but 28% plan to hold five or more years, the highest share of any generation.

Even intended Anthropic and OpenAI investors have concerns worth tracking. Their top worry is that AI stocks could be in a bubble, cited by 21% of prospective buyers, followed by 19% who worry AI valuations are too high relative to what can be drawn from the limited financial information available on the companies. Both have filed confidentially, meaning prospective buyers won't see full audited financials until closer to each offering.

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That lack of information drives concerns over valuation. Investors should watch what both prospectuses – the financial reports companies submit to the SEC prior to an IPO – disclose about revenue trajectory, cash burn, and path to profitability. Those disclosures will shape how individual investors price risk in both offerings.

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For the 53% not planning to buy Anthropic or OpenAI at IPO, the barrier is unfamiliarity, not skepticism about AI

Among Americans who don't plan to buy OpenAI or Anthropic shares at IPO, the top reason is lack of knowledge about the companies, not distrust of AI or concerns about valuation. That is a surmountable obstacle that, if tackled in the lead-up to the IPOs, could expand the pool of potential investors.

32% of Americans who don't plan to buy OpenAI or Anthropic shares at IPO say they are not familiar enough with Anthropic or OpenAI to invest, according to The Motley Fool’s survey. This is the largest stated barrier, cited more than the potential cost of shares, general reluctance to own individual stocks, or concern about valuations.
Only 13% of those who intend to sit out the IPOs say AI stocks are generally overvalued. People with more investing experience are more likely to scrutinize valuation: among people who have previously bought IPO shares but do not plan to buy these IPOs, 31% cite overvaluation as the reason, the highest among any non-buyer subgroup. Active investors sitting out show the same pattern: 28% cite AI overvaluation vs. only 8% of non-investors.
Only 8% of Americans believe individual investors benefit most from IPOs, while 30% say wealthy individuals do, per the survey. Another 17% say institutional investors capture most of the gains from IPOs, and 14% point to early employees and insiders as the biggest winners. Even among people who have previously bought IPO stocks, only 16% think individual investors gain the most when they buy shares around an IPO.

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Among those not planning to buy Anthropic or OpenAI at IPO, 25% say they would consider purchasing shares of either company within a year of listing. The Americans least likely to buy these IPOs slammed the door shut; they simply want more information or haven’t begun to consider investing in them.

For those watching individual investor demand as a signal of long-term support for these stocks, that distinction suggests the ceiling for investor demand is higher than what the survey data captures.

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What this means for investors considering the OpenAI and Anthropic IPOs

There are three clear takeaways for investors from Motley Fool’s 2026 AI IPO Survey.

First, when it comes to OpenAI and Anthropic, individual investor demand is concentrated, but significant, and more patient than a traditional high-profile tech IPO might suggest. Brand recognition, AI usage, and IPO investing experience are major drivers of investing intentions.

A positive sign is that more than a third plan to hold for three or more years, and only 15% are motivated to buy to try and catch a day-one pop.

Whether that patient capital shows up at the actual offering will depend partly on what both prospectuses reveal about financials that aren't yet public.

Second, product familiarity is a leading indicator of individual investor intent. The gap between OpenAI and Anthropic in purchase intent closely mirrors the gap between ChatGPT and Claude in consumer recognition among survey respondents.

Investors should watch how Anthropic's public profile develops through its IPO process. If its enterprise growth story reaches individual investors who are unfamiliar with the company, the interest gap could narrow meaningfully before shares price.

Third, the largest pool of potential buyers has not yet said no on principle. The 32% of Americans who don't plan to buy Anthropic or OpenAI at IPO and cite unfamiliarity as their reason are not AI skeptics. They are undecided.

As both companies become more visible and as more Americans engage directly with their products, individual investor participation in these IPOs could grow well beyond what the current data captures.

That sets up the potential for a blockbuster pair of IPOs this fall, as Anthropic and OpenAI race to capitalize on investor demand for shares of market-defining AI companies.

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About the Author

Jack Caporal is the Research Director for The Motley Fool and Motley Fool Money. Jack leads efforts to identify and analyze trends shaping investing and personal financial decisions across the United States. His research has appeared in thousands of media outlets including Harvard Business Review, The New York Times, Bloomberg, and CNBC, and has been cited in congressional testimony. He previously covered business and economic trends as a reporter and policy analyst in Washington, D.C. He serves as Chair of the Trade Policy Committee at the World Trade Center in Denver, Colorado. He holds a B.A. degree in International Relations with a concentration in International Economics from Michigan State University.

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The Motley Fool has a disclosure policy.

Survey: 7 in 10 Investors Plan to Buy OpenAI or Anthropic IPO

Among Americans who invest in the stock market, 70% plan to buy shares in OpenAI, Anthropic, or both at IPO. For most who don't plan to buy, the obstacle is unfamiliarity, not distrust of AI.

Key Points

Intent to buy is highest among people already engaged with AI tools and financial markets

Most anticipated OpenAI and Anthropic IPO buyers plan to hold for the long term.

For the 53% not planning to buy Anthropic or OpenAI at IPO, the barrier is unfamiliarity, not skepticism about AI

What this means for investors considering the OpenAI and Anthropic IPOs

About the Author

Read Next

Premium Investing Services

Intent to buy is highest among people already engaged with AI tools and financial markets

Most anticipated OpenAI and Anthropic IPO buyers plan to hold for the long term.

For the 53% not planning to buy Anthropic or OpenAI at IPO, the barrier is unfamiliarity, not skepticism about AI

What this means for investors considering the OpenAI and Anthropic IPOs

Survey: 7 in 10 Investors Plan to Buy OpenAI or Anthropic IPO

Among Americans who invest in the stock market, 70% plan to buy shares in OpenAI, Anthropic, or both at IPO. For most who don't plan to buy, the obstacle is unfamiliarity, not distrust of AI.

Key Points

Intent to buy is highest among people already engaged with AI tools and financial markets

Most anticipated OpenAI and Anthropic IPO buyers plan to hold for the long term.

For the 53% not planning to buy Anthropic or OpenAI at IPO, the barrier is unfamiliarity, not skepticism about AI

What this means for investors considering the OpenAI and Anthropic IPOs

Methodology

About the Author

Read Next

Premium Investing Services

Intent to buy is highest among people already engaged with AI tools and financial markets

Most anticipated OpenAI and Anthropic IPO buyers plan to hold for the long term.

For the 53% not planning to buy Anthropic or OpenAI at IPO, the barrier is unfamiliarity, not skepticism about AI

What this means for investors considering the OpenAI and Anthropic IPOs

Methodology