Bill Gurley, a prominent venture capitalist at Benchmark Capital, has expressed deep concern regarding Anthropic's ambitions, suggesting the company aims to create a system superior to humanity. During an episode of the All-In Podcast, Gurley stated that he spent a month researching Anthropic and concluded that the startup is not merely developing software but is effectively attempting to midwife a deity. He characterized this notion as the Dr. Frankenstein theory, which he finds more terrifying than the argument that Anthropic's safety advocacy is a strategy to monopolize the market through regulatory capture. Gurley's perspective draws heavily from an October 2024 essay by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei titled "Machines of Loving Grace." In the essay, Amodei envisions a future where powerful artificial intelligence manages the economy, potentially distributing resources to humans based on its own assessment of what is rewarding, effectively acting as a god-like authority. While Gurley interprets this as evidence of a desire to build a species superior to humans, Anthropic has not explicitly confirmed plans to create such a system. A representative for the company declined to comment on Gurley's claims. The debate extends to high-profile discussions involving AI's intersection with religion and society. Chris Olah, an Anthropic cofounder, recently participated in an event at the Vatican where Pope Leo XIV issued an encyclical warning against transhumanism. Olah emphasized that while mathematics and science enable AI, the character of its interaction with the world belongs to the domains of philosophy, religion, and society. This sentiment contrasts with Gurley's fear that Anthropic's leadership views itself as Prometheus-like, seeking to create a god. Co-hosts of the All-In Podcast echoed these sentiments. Jason Calacanis noted that Anthropic appears to believe it can create a god, while former Trump AI czar David Sacks argued that framing competitors as reckless to justify strict regulations is a clear path to monopolistic control. Amodei has historically defended his push for government oversight, stating in November 2025 that he is uncomfortable leaving the power to police AI in the hands of a few private entities. He has also pointed to Anthropic's past decision to delay the public release of its Claude model to avoid potential harms, even though this ceded leadership in consumer AI to rivals like OpenAI. Most recently, the company cited cybersecurity concerns for delaying the public launch of its Claude Mythos model, though it announced plans to release these models in the coming weeks. Adding momentum to the ongoing discussion, Anthropic confidentially filed a draft S-1 with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission on Monday, signaling a potential initial public offering that could be the largest in history. As the company moves toward a public valuation, Gurley's warnings about its foundational goals continue to spark intense debate within the technology and investment sectors.