Anthropic, SpaceX announce compute deal that includes space development
Dario Amodei, co-founder and chief executive officer of Anthropic, during the company’s Builder Summit in Bengaluru, India, on Monday, Feb. 16, 2026.
Samyukta Lakshmi | Bloomberg | Getty Images
Anthropic recently made a groundbreaking announcement of a partnership with Elon Musk’s SpaceX. The collaboration involves utilizing all the compute capacity at Colossus 1 data center in Memphis, Tennessee owned by Musk’s company.
Under the agreement, Anthropic gains access to over 300 megawatts of compute capacity, with potential plans to work on developing multiple gigawatts of compute capacity in space in partnership with SpaceX. This deal is set to enhance the capacity for Anthropic’s paid subscribers of Claude Pro and Claude Max.
Interestingly, this partnership comes in the midst of a public feud between Musk and Anthropic. Musk, who heads a competing AI company xAI, has been critical of Anthropic in the past, citing disagreements with the U.S. government as a major point of contention.
On a post on X, Musk expressed his views on Anthropic, questioning the company’s values and intentions. Despite this, Anthropic continues to forge ahead with its innovative AI models and services.
Meanwhile, xAI, under Musk’s leadership, has been strategically expanding its data infrastructure, particularly in Memphis, as it competes in the thriving AI market alongside giants like OpenAI, Google, and Anthropic. The development of Colossus 1 marks a significant milestone for xAI in this competitive landscape.
The use of natural gas-burning turbines by xAI for powering Colossus has stirred controversy due to environmental concerns and community protests in the region. Despite these challenges, xAI continues to push forward with its technological advancements.
Anthropic, founded by former members of OpenAI, has been at the forefront of AI innovation with its Claude AI models. The company’s valuation continues to rise, attracting investor interest even amidst regulatory challenges.
The Pentagon’s decision to blacklist Anthropic as a supply chain risk has created additional hurdles for the company, leading to legal battles and uncertainties about its future collaborations with the U.S. military. In contrast, xAI’s Grok model has gained traction within the Defense Department and other sectors.
–CNBC’s Lora Kolodny contributed to this report
Stay tuned for more updates on this developing story.
