Major AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic face a critical profitability deadline as massive infrastructure investments demand concrete returns in 2026.

The AI industry is approaching a 'monetization cliff' where hundreds of billions in capital investments must translate into actual profits or risk collapse

OpenAI and Anthropic serve as case studies for how the industry's largest players plan to achieve profitability before investor confidence runs out

Companies have invested heavily in data centers, chips, and infrastructure with the expectation that profits will eventually materialize, but the timeline is uncertain

Senior Verge reporter Hayden Field explores whether these companies can become genuinely profitable businesses or if the AI bubble will burst first