AI startup Anthropic is making a big bet on European growth, announcing new offices in Paris and Munich this week. This expansion follows hot on the heels of recent openings in Tokyo, Seoul, and Bengaluru, further solidifying Anthropic’s global reach. The company already has a presence in London, Dublin, and Zurich, demonstrating its commitment to establishing strong roots across the continent.
This strategic move is driven by impressive growth figures in Europe. Anthropic reports that the Europe, Middle East, and Africa (EMEA) region is currently its fastest-growing market. Notably, the number of “high-spending” customers—those shelling out at least $100,000 annually for Anthropic’s AI services—has exploded more than tenfold in just the past year.
“Europe is home to some of the world’s most important and forward-thinking companies,” explains Chris Ciauri, Anthropic’s Managing Director of International. The company views these new offices as a direct response to surging demand from European users, a sentiment backed by data: both Germany and France rank among the top 20 countries globally for per capita usage of Anthropic’s flagship product, the Claude AI model.
Beyond broad market trends, Anthropic highlights specific marquee clients in Europe. Luxury giant L’Oréal, automotive powerhouse BMW, enterprise software leader SAP, and pharmaceutical company Sanofi are all listed as current subscribers, utilizing Claude for a range of critical tasks like generating new code, refining existing software, and troubleshooting complex network issues.
This expansion comes at a pivotal moment for Anthropic. Founded by former OpenAI members, the San Francisco-based startup positions itself as a more responsible alternative to its heavily Microsoft-backed rival. Its emphasis on privacy and security has resonated strongly with users. Recently valued at a staggering $183 billion, Anthropic is reportedly in active discussions with Google regarding further investment, underscoring its status as a major player in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.
