Meta eyes $10B deal to lease AI compute to Anthropic

Meta Platforms, the corporation that owns Facebook, Instagram, and WhatsApp, is in talks to lease AI processing capacity to Anthropic, according to reports. The agreement could be worth as much as $10 billion（約1.6兆円） over two years, with Anthropic to be paid monthly, although the terms may still change. For Anthropic, the arrangement would mean greater computational power for its Claude models. For Meta, the lease would provide a new way to monetize its data centers and AI infrastructure—a significant revenue opportunity given that Meta still depends largely on advertising. The deal would also place Meta more directly in competition with cloud services like CoreWeave and Nebius. CEO Mark Zuckerberg indicated in May that cloud computing was under study and stated that firms routinely ask about Meta's AI models and unused capacity. However, the conversations remain preliminary, and there is no certainty the companies will achieve an agreement. Investors will now watch for signals that Meta is ready to establish a bigger cloud company around its AI technology.

Meta's interest in leasing compute capacity to Anthropic emerges from CEO Mark Zuckerberg's May statement that cloud computing was under study and that firms routinely ask about Meta's AI models and unused capacity. This deal would represent a material shift in how Meta monetizes its data center infrastructure—moving beyond selling ads on its platforms (Facebook, Instagram, WhatsApp) to directly selling computational power. By offering spare processing capacity to an AI company like Anthropic, Meta gains revenue diversification while Anthropic gains the computational power needed to scale Claude. However, the deal also signals Meta's ambition to compete in the cloud services market, a space currently served by providers like CoreWeave and Nebius. The preliminary nature of the talks—described as conversations with no certainty of agreement—means the financial and competitive picture could shift.