Anthropic eyes Microsoft AI chips as tech giants reshape partnerships beyond OpenAI

Anthropic, Microsoft in talks for AI chip deal after $5 billion investment

A deal would represent a win for Microsoft, which is behind cloud rivals Amazon and Google when it comes to supplying clients with special-purpose AI silicon. Microsoft announced its second-generation Maia AI chip in January, but has yet to make it available through its Azure cloud. Anthropic has not yet closed a deal with Microsoft over the use of the Maia 200, said a person familiar with the deal who asked not to be named in order to discuss internal matters. The Information reported on the discussions earlier on Thursday. Shares of Microsoft were little changed. In November, Microsoft said it would invest $5 billion in Anthropic, while Anthropic committed to spending $30 billion on Azure. Anthropic also relies on cloud services from Amazon and Google. Anthropic has had "difficulties with compute," Dario Amodei, the company's co-founder and CEO, said at an event earlier this month.

Microsoft-Anthropic - What's Going On? - Microsoft (NASDAQ:MSFT)

Anthropic is reportedly in talks to use Microsoft's AI chips as the company expands its computing infrastructure needs, the Information reported on Thursday. Microsoft Pushes Maia 200 As NVIDIA Alternative The discussions highlight Microsoft's broader effort to position its in-house AI hardware as a competitive option within the rapidly growing AI infrastructure market. Anthropic Expands Azure Usage The report also said Anthropic has been increasing its Azure server rentals, signaling rising demand for cloud-based AI computing capacity as AI model development and deployment scale further. Microsoft Expands AI Partnership Beyond OpenAI Microsoft has already integrated Anthropic's Claude AI models into Office 365 applications, including Word, Excel, Outlook, and PowerPoint, marking a broader AI strategy beyond its long-standing partnership with OpenAI. Developers reportedly found Anthropic's latest models outperformed OpenAI's technology in certain tasks, including Excel financial functions and PowerPoint slide generation. The move means Microsoft will combine Anthropic and OpenAI models across its productivity software while continuing to build its own internal AI systems. Microsoft will also reportedly pay Amazon Web Services to access Anthropic's models, despite AWS being both a cloud rival and a major Anthropic investor. Cramer Calls Microsoft's Shift "Big" Jim Cramer said Microsoft's decision to pay Amazon-backed Anthropic for AI technology signals a major strategic change after years of relying heavily on OpenAI. Cramer wrote on X that Microsoft paying Anthropic for products it believes are superior is "big," highlighting growing competition and shifting alliances in the AI industry. Microsoft remains OpenAI's largest financial backer, having invested more than $13 billion in the ChatGPT parent company. However, recent reports have highlighted tensions between the two companies over future access to and control of AI. Technical Analysis Microsoft is trading above its short- and intermediate-term trend gauges, sitting 2.6% above the 20-day SMA ($416.75) and 7% above the 50-day SMA ($399.82), which keeps the near-term structure constructive. It's also 2.5% above the 100-day SMA ($417.19), reinforcing that the spring rebound is still intact. The longer-term picture is more mixed because the stock is still 7.3% below the 200-day SMA ($461.48), and the 50-day remains below the 200-day after the death cross in January. In practice, that often means rallies can work, but they may face tougher supply as prices approach longer-term resistance zones. For momentum, MACD is the cleaner read right now: it's below its signal line, and the histogram is negative, suggesting upside pressure is cooling from the prior upswing. Put simply, MACD below the signal line often means the trend needs fresh buying to re-accelerate, or it risks rolling into a choppier consolidation. Key Resistance: $428.00 -- a nearby pivot/round-number area where rebounds can stall, especially with price pressing into it premarket Key Support: $398.00 -- a nearby floor aligned with the 50-day SMA area, where buyers have a clearer technical reference if the move fades MSFT Price Action: Microsoft shares were down 0.55% at $418.76 at the time of publication on Thursday, according to Benzinga Pro data. Image via Shutterstock Market News and Data brought to you by Benzinga APIs To add Benzinga News as your preferred source on Google, click here.

Anthropic may tap Microsoft AI chips to curb Nvidia reliance

Microsoft unveiled the second generation of its Maia chips in January, though they have yet to be widely offered via its Azure platform. According to a source familiar with the matter, Anthropic is currently evaluating their use as the company faces a sharp increase in its computing capacity requirements. CEO Dario Amodei recently acknowledged challenges related to the availability of computing resources, fueled by the growing success of the Claude assistant and the Claude Code programming tool. The two groups have already strengthened their ties in recent months. Microsoft invested $5bn in Anthropic last November, while the AI startup committed to spending $30bn on Azure infrastructure. Anthropic also utilizes cloud services from Amazon and Google and continues to rely heavily on Nvidia processors. Furthermore, the company has signed a 10-year agreement with Amazon Web Services centered on Trainium chips and also plans to utilize Google-developed TPUs.