Artificial Intelligence is evolving fast — so fast that Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei believes the first billion-dollar company with only one human employee and AI-powered operations could emerge as early as 2026.
This bold prediction came during Anthropic’s first developer conference, Code with Claude, where Amodei spoke about the impact of AI agents on business creation.
Claude AI’s Newest Models Could Revolutionize Startups
At the event, Anthropic also introduced its most advanced AI models yet — Claude Opus 4 and Sonnet 4. These new models are designed to perform complex tasks like coding, research, reasoning, and even project management, enabling solo entrepreneurs to run companies more efficiently than ever before.
“Industries that don’t rely on traditional human institutions will be first to benefit,” Amodei noted.
AI in Business: Smarter Tools, Fewer People
According to Amodei, sectors like developer tools and training software are prime examples where a solo founder supported by AI could succeed. Customers wouldn’t need constant human support — instead, an AI model could answer questions and provide real-time help.
This prediction might sound futuristic, but Anthropic CPO Mike Krieger — who also co-founded Instagram — said it’s more realistic than people think.
“We built Instagram with just 13 people 13 years ago. With today’s AI tools, it could’ve been done with even fewer,” Krieger said.
AI Agents Doing a Day’s Work in Hours
One major focus of Anthropic’s technology is the development of autonomous AI agents — AIs that can handle tasks with minimal human input. The company’s top model, Claude Opus 4, has already demonstrated long-lasting performance on extended tasks.
One example: Rakuten used Claude Opus 4 for a seven-hour code refactor, equivalent to a full day’s work by a software engineer — all done with consistent speed and no breaks.
These AI agents can allow startups to test ideas in parallel, speeding up innovation and product development dramatically.
The Future of Work Is Here
As tools like Claude Opus grow more powerful, the idea of launching a billion-dollar startup with AI as the core team becomes more plausible. Entrepreneurs will soon be able to manage development, customer support, marketing, and operations — all powered by intelligent AI systems.
To stay updated on the latest in AI breakthroughs and how they’ll shape the business world, follow tech coverage and subscribe to ZDNET’s Tech Today newsletter.
