Microsoft Partners with Anthropic, Nvidia in $45B AI Deal/ Newslooks/ WASHINGTON/ J. Mansour/ Morning Edition/ Microsoft has entered a landmark cloud infrastructure partnership with AI firm Anthropic and chipmaker Nvidia, signaling a strategic pivot away from OpenAI. Anthropic committed $30 billion to Microsoft’s Azure platform, while Nvidia and Microsoft are investing up to $10 billion and $5 billion, respectively. The deal enhances access to AI tools and capacity for models like Claude.
AI Cloud Partnership Quick Looks
- Microsoft, Nvidia, and Anthropic announce multi-billion-dollar AI alliance
- Anthropic to spend $30B on Microsoft Azure cloud services
- Nvidia invests up to $10B in Anthropic; Microsoft adds $5B
- Claude to be featured across Amazon, Google, and Microsoft platforms
- Signals shift in Microsoft’s AI cloud focus from OpenAI to broader partners
- OpenAI previously cited limits in Microsoft cloud exclusivity
- Microsoft still holds a 27% stake in OpenAI’s for-profit arm
- Anthropic founded in 2021 by former OpenAI executives
- Nvidia to provide Anthropic access to 1 gigawatt of AI chip capacity
- Announcement made ahead of Microsoft’s 2025 Ignite developer conference
Deep Look
Microsoft Strengthens AI Cloud Portfolio with $45 Billion Anthropic, Nvidia Deal
SEATTLE — Microsoft has unveiled a sweeping new partnership with AI startup Anthropic and chipmaking giant Nvidia, forging a powerful cloud infrastructure alliance aimed at expanding access to next-generation artificial intelligence technology. The announcement, made just before Microsoft’s 2025 Ignite developer conference, underscores a shift in Microsoft’s cloud strategy as it broadens beyond its previously exclusive relationship with OpenAI.
As part of the deal, Anthropic will commit $30 billion in computing capacity to Microsoft Azure, one of the world’s leading cloud computing platforms. Nvidia will invest up to $10 billion, and Microsoft will contribute up to $5 billion to help scale Anthropic’s AI development and infrastructure capabilities.
Strategic Shift from OpenAI to Broader AI Ecosystem
The collaboration signals a continued evolution in Microsoft’s AI playbook. While the tech giant remains closely aligned with OpenAI — the creator of ChatGPT and a core part of Microsoft’s Copilot tools — the two companies have recently adjusted their relationship. Microsoft was previously the exclusive cloud provider for OpenAI but has since allowed the startup to explore partnerships with Oracle, SoftBank, and other infrastructure providers as it expands its AI footprint.
This loosening of exclusivity has made room for new strategic alliances — like this one with Anthropic — as Microsoft looks to secure its position in the competitive AI race.
“This is about deepening our commitment to providing the best infrastructure, models, and applications to our customers,” said Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella, joining Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang on a joint video call. Nadella added that the move builds on “critical partnerships,” including the ongoing work with OpenAI.
Anthropic, founded in 2021 by several former OpenAI researchers and executives, is known for its advanced chatbot, Claude, a rival to ChatGPT. With this new alliance, Claude becomes the only frontier model available across the top three cloud platforms — Amazon Web Services, Google Cloud, and now Microsoft Azure.
Powering Claude with Massive Infrastructure
Running large language models like Claude requires enormous computing power. Anthropic’s deal ensures access to Azure’s scale while leveraging Nvidia’s AI chip technology to accelerate development and performance.
As part of the agreement, Nvidia will provide Anthropic with access to up to 1 gigawatt of capacity from its cutting-edge AI chips — a key resource in training and deploying foundation models.
“I’ve admired the work of Anthropic and Dario for a long time,” said Huang. “This is the first time we’re partnering deeply with Anthropic to accelerate Claude.”
The partnership is expected to supercharge Claude’s training and performance across tasks ranging from enterprise productivity to AI safety research.
AI Investment Race Intensifies
This announcement comes amid an AI arms race among Big Tech and startups alike. Microsoft has already invested tens of billions into OpenAI and continues to offer ChatGPT integrations across its products, including Office 365 and its Copilot suite.
Still, as OpenAI pursues more independence and diversifies its infrastructure providers, Microsoft is seizing opportunities to diversify its own AI ecosystem. The company retains a 27% stake in OpenAI’s new for-profit venture, but clearly sees Anthropic as another long-term strategic bet.
Anthropic has drawn similar attention from Amazon, which earlier committed up to $4 billion to the AI startup, while making Claude a centerpiece of AWS offerings. Now, with Microsoft and Nvidia joining forces, Anthropic finds itself backed by three of the tech industry’s most influential players.
The Road Ahead for Claude and AI Cloud Services
Neither OpenAI nor Anthropic has yet turned a profit, as the costs of training and deploying massive AI models remain immense. However, their partnerships with major cloud and chip providers suggest a long-term belief in the commercial viability of advanced AI platforms.
Microsoft’s new investment ensures that Claude has access to the infrastructure it needs to compete in the increasingly crowded AI landscape — and helps Azure remain at the center of enterprise AI development.
With the Microsoft Ignite conference underway, this announcement highlights the company’s ambition to dominate the infrastructure side of AI just as much as the application layer. As AI adoption expands, Microsoft is positioning itself to benefit from both the tools and the servers powering them.
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