Microsoft and Anthropic Discuss Custom Chip Deal as Compute Crunch Intensifies

Microsoft is in early talks to supply its custom Maia AI chips to Anthropic, a move that could help the AI startup address a growing shortage of computing power. CNBC confirmed the discussions on Thursday, though no agreement has been finalized, according to a person familiar with the matter.

For Microsoft, landing Anthropic as a Maia customer would be a strategic win. The tech giant currently trails cloud rivals Amazon and Google in offering custom AI silicon to external clients. Microsoft unveiled its second-generation Maia 200 processor in January, promising over 30% better tokens per dollar compared to its existing fleet. The chip is now operational in Microsoft data centers in Arizona and Iowa, and the company has said it will run OpenAI’s GPT-5.2 model.

Anthropic’s need for more compute has become urgent. CEO Dario Amodei recently acknowledged “difficulties with compute” as its Claude assistant and Claude Code tool gain traction. On Wednesday, SpaceX disclosed that Anthropic will pay $1.25 billion per month through May 2029 for computing power. The startup has historically relied on Nvidia GPUs, but in April it signed a 10-year, $100 billion deal to use Amazon Web Services’ Trainium chips. It also plans to use Google’s TPUs.

A deal with Microsoft could further diversify Anthropic’s compute base. The two companies already have a financial relationship: Microsoft invested $5 billion in Anthropic last November, and Anthropic committed to spending $30 billion on Azure. Shares of Microsoft were little changed on the news. Neither company commented for this story.