Anthropic overtakes OpenAI in UK business AI spend, new data shows

Anthropic has surpassed OpenAI as the top AI subscription provider among UK businesses, according to a fresh analysis of corporate credit‑card transactions. In the three months to July, Anthropic accounted for 54 per cent of all AI‑related spend, while OpenAI’s share fell to 27 per cent.

Why the shift matters

The change signals that OpenAI’s dominance in the AI market is eroding as rivals offer packages tailored to enterprise needs. For companies that rely on AI for productivity, the choice of provider can affect cost structures, data security and integration with existing tools. The trend also mirrors broader growth in AI adoption across the UK, where more than one in eight firms invested in AI services in the second quarter of the year, up from one in twenty a year earlier.

What the numbers reveal

The analysis draws on spending patterns from hundreds of thousands of customers of Capital on Tap, a London‑based corporate credit‑card firm that processes tens of billions of pounds each year. Average quarterly AI spend among its users was £288, but the top percentile spent over £3,000, indicating that a small group of heavy users is driving much of the growth.

“It’s accelerating, if you look at the steepness of the curve it keeps going up. I can see adoption going up three times from where it is today. Every indicator is up and to the right,” said Capital on Tap chief executive Damian Brycy.

Brycy added that price sensitivity remains a key question: “The interesting question is if they raise prices, if they have to, what will happen to adoption. If a £25 subscription price is raised to £100, does it change adoption, will companies think, how useful is this to our business?”

Looking ahead

Analysts expect the competition between AI providers to intensify, with enterprises demanding clearer ROI and stronger governance. If pricing pressures increase, some firms may pause or scale back AI projects, while others could double‑down on providers that demonstrate tangible business outcomes. The next quarter will show whether Anthropic can sustain its lead or if OpenAI will regain ground through new model releases or pricing adjustments.

Overall, the data underscores a rapid expansion of AI use in the UK’s SME sector, a development that could reshape productivity trends and influence future investment in AI‑focused services.