Eisman Questions AI Slowdown Warnings, Calls OpenAI and Anthropic 'Achilles' Heel' of Sector

Investor Steve Eisman, known for his role in "The Big Short," said warnings from top AI labs about slowing development are self-interested and suggested OpenAI's situation is more fragile than Anthropic's, Business Insider reported on September 20, 2026. Eisman said AI firms may be manufacturing a crisis to invite regulation, then shape it into a two-player oligopoly—a new moat to replace the one built by maximizing model usage, a "tokenmaxxing" era he said has ended as open-weight models gain share. He said he has reduced his AI exposure and called OpenAI and Anthropic the "Achilles' heel" of the AI trade, citing their outsized weight in the supply chain. Regarding Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei's calls to slow AI development, Eisman noted Anthropic is preparing an IPO, saying: "If you say we need to slow down because it's dangerous, my response is: Delay your IPO."