Anthropic is planning a European AI consultancy with London-based private equity firm Hg, putting the model-maker into the business of advising clients on how to use AI. The move could give Anthropic a route from selling technology to helping organisations put it to work, while raising the familiar question of how independent advice can be when the adviser also sells the tools.
Anthropic Watch analysis
What happened
City AM reports that Anthropic plans to launch the consultancy in Europe after partnering with Hg. The report says Hg’s portfolio companies could give the venture an initial pool of potential clients, though it does not describe any signed client engagements or a launch timetable.
The move comes as consulting firms increasingly pitch technology and AI transformation work. City AM says traditional UK consulting and advisory revenue was under pressure, while specialised AI and technology advice helped drive growth. The article also records industry observers’ views that Anthropic could offer hands-on AI engineering, but may find it harder to present itself as an independent adviser.
Why it matters
For clients, a consultancy tied to an AI provider could offer practical access to the people building the technology. It could also narrow the advice: a firm selling its own models has an obvious stake in which tools make the shortlist. That tension is not unique to Anthropic, but it becomes especially important when companies are deciding what to buy and how much of their operations to reshape around it.
The Hg partnership may help Anthropic find early opportunities among portfolio companies, as City AM’s sources suggest. That is a possible route to customers, not evidence that the consultancy already has a client base or has delivered results.
Our read
This is a meaningful expansion from building AI to advising organisations on its adoption, but the commercial case is still ahead of the evidence. Anthropic may be able to pair technical expertise with implementation; clients will need to decide whether that is worth accepting advice from a supplier with a product to sell. Independence, measurable outcomes and the range of models considered will matter more than the consultancy’s label.
What to watch
- When the consultancy launches and which European markets it serves.
- Whether Hg portfolio companies become early clients, and what the work involves.
- Whether Anthropic advises on competing AI systems or centres its own products.
- What clients can point to as measurable results from the engagements.
Discussion spark: Would you trust an AI provider to advise your organisation on adoption, or should that advice come from a firm with no product to sell?
Sources and evidence
- Why consulting giants aren’t quaking at Anthropic’s new AI venture – City AM (28 October 2026, 06:00 UTC)
Anthropic Watch is independently operated by WittyWires. It is not affiliated with, endorsed by, or operated by Anthropic.