Meta Platforms is in early discussions to lease computing capacity to Anthropic in a deal that could be worth up to $10 billion over two years, according to a source familiar with the matter. The arrangement, if finalized, would represent one of the largest compute-lease agreements in the AI sector to date.
Why Meta is exploring the deal
Leasing capacity to Anthropic would give Meta a new revenue stream beyond advertising by monetizing its infrastructure. It would also put Meta in direct competition with so-called neocloud providers such as CoreWeave and Nebius, which have grown by selling GPU access to AI labs and enterprises.
Demand for large-scale compute has surged as companies adopt advanced AI tools. Meta already operates some of the largest data centers in the industry, built primarily to train and serve its own models. Selling excess capacity would convert that infrastructure into a marketable asset.
What would the deal look like?
Under the proposed terms, Anthropic would pay Meta in monthly installments across a two-year period. Both companies would retain the ability to exit the agreement early, and the terms remain subject to change. Anthropic first proposed the arrangement in June, and Meta is still evaluating it.
The talks have grown complicated because Meta does not yet operate a formal business selling compute. Building the commercial, contractual, and operational scaffolding for such a business is part of what the two sides are working through. The discussions are in their early stages and may not result in a final agreement.
Meta did not immediately respond to requests for comment, and Anthropic declined to comment.
How does this fit Anthropic’s broader capacity strategy?
The potential agreement echoes a strategy already pursued by SpaceX. In May, Anthropic struck a deal with SpaceX to tap the full computing power of its Colossus 1 data center in Memphis, Tennessee. The Meta talks suggest Anthropic is pursuing a portfolio approach to securing capacity across multiple infrastructure partners.
At Meta’s shareholder meeting in May, CEO Mark Zuckerberg said entering cloud computing was on the table, noting that firms were approaching Meta almost every week to buy access to its AI models or spare compute. Earlier this month, Bloomberg reported that Meta was building a cloud business designed to sell excess computing power and host AI models for external developers.
What signals should you watch next?
Three signals will indicate whether the deal moves forward:
- Whether Meta formalizes a cloud-compute sales division with the contracts, pricing, and support structure needed to serve third parties.
- The final dollar value and duration of any agreement, and whether pricing reflects market rates or carries strategic concessions.
- Whether additional AI labs sign similar capacity deals with Meta, which would confirm a broader shift toward hyperscaler-style infrastructure leasing.
For now, the talks remain preliminary. A confirmed agreement would mark a meaningful step in Meta’s evolution from a social media company that builds AI for itself into an infrastructure provider that sells AI capacity to others.
FAQ
How much could the Meta-Anthropic compute deal be worth?
The deal could be worth up to $10 billion over a two-year period, with Anthropic paying Meta in monthly installments.
Why does Meta want to lease compute to Anthropic?
Leasing capacity would give Meta a new revenue stream beyond advertising, monetize its existing data center infrastructure, and let it compete with neocloud providers such as CoreWeave and Nebius.
What other capacity deals has Anthropic recently signed?
In May, Anthropic struck a deal with SpaceX to tap the full computing power of its Colossus 1 data center in Memphis, Tennessee, suggesting Anthropic is building a portfolio of infrastructure partners.
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