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Anthropic’s cloud partnerships are getting messy
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- DeepHorus
Anthropic is struggling to secure enough cloud capacity from AWS, Google, and Microsoft, which increasingly see the Claude maker as a competitor rather than a customer. The situation was detailed in a leaked S-1 filing obtained by The Wall Street Journal. The filing suggests Anthropic’s cloud capacity challenges could complicate its ambitious growth plans.
The leaked document provides additional context to earlier reports from Reuters and the Financial Times. It reveals that Anthropic believes it might spend more than $750 billion on cloud contracts, including some deals still under negotiation. Despite this enormous potential expenditure, the company still cannot obtain enough capacity from the major cloud providers.
To address the shortfall, Anthropic is leasing its own data centers and partnering with third-party operators. However, the firm cautions that these operators have a "limited operating history," potentially making them less reliable than established hyperscalers. This reliance introduces operational risks for the AI startup.
Anthropic posted an $80.7 billion net loss in the first half of the year. Revenue for the period was $16.3 billion, with two customers making up about a fifth of sales, per the WSJ. These figures underscore the financial pressure on the company as it scales.
The filing warns Anthropic could be liable for harmful AI damages exceeding its insurance. Such potential liabilities add another layer of risk to the company’s operations. The disclosure builds on previously reported catastrophic risk warnings.
Anthropic did not immediately respond to TechCrunch’s request for comment. The company has not publicly addressed the leaked filing or the cloud capacity concerns. Investors and partners will be watching closely for any official statements.
Last week, Anthropic told prospective investors that third-quarter revenue reached $16.8 billion, up 45% from the previous quarter. The company is reportedly targeting a November IPO. The coming months will test whether the firm can secure sufficient infrastructure and manage risks.
