US stock futures were mixed on Tuesday as investors weighed fresh concerns about artificial intelligence and movements in oil prices. The latest developments around Anthropic and OpenAI raised new questions about AI safety, while geopolitical tensions continued to keep oil and bond prices elevated.
Dow Jones Industrial Average futures rose 0.2%. S&P 500 futures also gained 0.2%, while Nasdaq-100 futures were up 0.3%, showing that markets were moving only modestly higher rather than making a strong move in either direction, according to Yahoo Finance.
AI safety concerns grow
AI concerns were a major focus for investors after details from a leaked Anthropic IPO prospectus emerged. The prospectus reportedly shows that Anthropic is targeting a valuation of about $2 trillion, more than twice its estimated valuation of $965 billion, according to Reuters.
The leaked document also reportedly warned about the potential risks of advanced AI. Anthropic said AI could create what it described as “existential risks to humanity,” according to Reuters. Anthropic has not yet publicly released an official IPO filing. The information currently being discussed comes from the leaked prospectus reported.
The Anthropic news added to investor concerns about how quickly AI technology is developing. The company is seeking a huge valuation while also highlighting the risks linked to increasingly powerful AI systems, according to the reported prospectus.
Also read: Anthropic IPO: Can its $2 trillion valuation survive a $42 billion loss and massive AI spending?
OpenAI model shelved
OpenAI also added to the AI safety worries. The Wall Street Journal reported that the company shelved a next-generation frontier AI model after safety problems appeared during internal testing.
The OpenAI development came shortly after the company disclosed more problems involving its AI agents. Reports over the weekend described additional breaches involving OpenAI’s AI sandbox, adding to concerns about the safety and reliability of advanced AI systems.
Trump to meet AI CEOs
The growing AI debate is also reaching Washington. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, Meta CEO Mark Zuckerberg, Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang and Google CEO Sundar Pichai are scheduled to have lunch with President Donald Trump at the White House on Tuesday.
The meeting comes as concerns about the public risks of AI are growing. The presence of several major technology executives could put AI safety and the rapid development of the technology in focus during the White House meeting.
AMD buys AI startup
AMD shares were also in focus after the chipmaker announced an $8.2 billion deal for AI startup World Labs. The acquisition gives AMD access to AI technology and talent as competition in the AI industry continues to grow. World Labs is an AI model company based in San Francisco that focuses on software for 3D environments. AMD announced the agreement to acquire the company on Monday, according to Yahoo Finance.
The deal is expected to close by the end of 2026. AMD shares rose after news of the acquisition. World Labs was founded in 2024 and is led by Dr. Fei-Fei Li. Li is a leading AI researcher who is widely known in the technology industry as the “Godmother of AI,” according to Yahoo Finance.
Fei-Fei Li joins AMD
Li will join AMD as executive vice president and chief scientist after the acquisition. She will report directly to AMD CEO Lisa Su, giving her a major role in the company’s AI strategy. Li previously served as chief scientist at Google Cloud. Her move to AMD gives the chipmaker access to a senior AI researcher at a time when demand for AI computing and software remains strong.
Nvidia stock valuation in focus
Nvidia was also in focus as investors looked at valuations across the biggest technology companies. Yahoo Finance’s Hamza Shaban noted that Nvidia has a relatively modest valuation compared with the other members of the “Magnificent Seven.”
Nvidia’s forward price-to-earnings ratio is below that of the S&P 500, according to FactSet data cited by Yahoo Finance. This means investors are currently paying a lower multiple for Nvidia’s expected earnings than they are for the broader S&P 500.
Nvidia remains one of the biggest companies at the center of the AI boom. Its chips are heavily used for AI computing, making the company one of the most important stocks in the broader AI trade. Nvidia is also using its large cash position to buy back its own shares. The company recently increased its stock buyback authorization by $150 billion, making it the largest single buyback authorization in US history, according to Yahoo Finance.
Also read: Oil supply from the Middle East rises sharply: What happens to crude prices next?
Nvidia plans $150 billion buyback
The huge buyback shows Nvidia is willing to use its cash to support shareholder returns while its stock valuation remains a focus for investors. The company has generated large amounts of cash from the strong demand for AI chips.
A new comparison has also emerged between Nvidia and oil giant ExxonMobil. DataTrek co-founder Nicholas Colas described both companies as companies linked to “scarcity” investment themes, with Nvidia representing the value of data and computing while ExxonMobil represents oil.
Oil prices stay near $96
Oil prices were another major factor affecting market sentiment on Tuesday. Brent crude futures were trading near $96 a barrel, while US West Texas Intermediate crude futures were around $91 a barrel, according to Yahoo Finance. Oil prices slipped as Saudi Arabia restarted exports through its East-West pipeline. The move could help increase the flow of oil and reduce some pressure on supply.
US and Iranian officials were also meeting with mediators as efforts continued to restart talks. The discussions were described as disjointed, meaning there was no clear breakthrough in negotiations. Geopolitical tensions have kept oil prices elevated in recent weeks.
Higher oil prices can matter for investors because they can increase fuel and transportation costs and put pressure on inflation. Higher oil prices are also being watched alongside elevated bond yields. Investors are looking at whether energy costs and other inflation pressures could affect the outlook for interest rates.
US economic data today
Economic data due Tuesday could give investors more clues about the US economy. The key releases include the Job Openings and Labor Turnover Survey, known as JOLTS, and the Conference Board’s consumer confidence report.
The JOLTS report will give investors another look at the US labor market. Changes in job openings can provide clues about whether demand for workers is strengthening or weakening. Consumer confidence data will provide another view of how Americans feel about the economy. Strong or weak confidence can influence expectations for consumer spending, which is an important part of the US economy.
CarMax stock jumps
CarMax was another stock moving before the opening bell. Shares of the used-car retailer jumped after the company reported strong results for both revenue and profit, according to Yahoo Finance.
Overall, investors are entering the trading session with several competing signals. US stock futures are slightly higher, but concerns about AI safety, high oil prices, geopolitical developments and upcoming economic data are keeping the market from making a much bigger move.
For the Dow, S&P 500 and Nasdaq, the focus is therefore split between technology and the wider economy. AI remains a major driver of investor interest, while oil prices, bond markets and economic data could influence how investors view inflation and interest rates.