NYC Comptroller Mark Levine raises AI economic alarms as Anthropic eyes historic IPO

New York City Comptroller Mark Levine wants Anthropic to hit the brakes on what could become the largest IPO in history. Levine is urging the company behind the Claude models to pause its public offering until concerns about AI safety, corporate governance and the pace of development are addressed. What Levine is asking for Levine’s request targets three areas: safety, governance and speed. He has been pushing for stronger corporate governance standards in major tech listings, and Anthropic’s offering is about as major as tech listings get. His position lines up with economist Jeffrey Sachs. Sachs has called for a pause on IPOs like Anthropic’s until federal rules covering safety and liability are in place. Levine has warned that rapid AI adoption could cause serious economic disruption in New York City. His projections suggest the city could lose up to 135,000 jobs. He also estimates that nearly $9 billion in tax revenue could disappear over a four-year span due to AI-related pressures. Levine’s May 2026 report put forward a cushion for that scenario. It recommends a rainy-day fund equal to 16% of annual tax revenue to help absorb potential AI fallout. The IPO at the center of it ...