Meta Platforms Incorporated shares recovered from sharp early losses on Friday after a report suggested the technology company is in preliminary discussions with artificial intelligence firm Anthropic over a potential US$10 billion agreement to lease AI data centre capacity.
The stock initially fell as much as 5.7 per cent before trimming its decline to about 3 per cent following a report by The New York Times outlining the proposed arrangement.
According to the report, Anthropic approached Meta in June with a proposal to lease computing capacity from the company’s AI data centres. Under the proposed agreement, Anthropic would make monthly payments over a two-year period, while both parties would retain the option to terminate the deal before its expiry.
If concluded, the agreement would mark a significant expansion of Meta’s business model by generating revenue from its AI infrastructure, an area in which the company has invested heavily as it seeks to strengthen its position in the rapidly evolving artificial intelligence sector.
The proposed structure is said to resemble Anthropic’s existing computing agreement with SpaceX, signed in May, under which the AI developer is expected to pay US$45 billion over three years for access to computing power.
The discussions come as demand for high-performance computing infrastructure continues to outstrip supply, with technology companies competing for the specialised hardware required to train and deploy increasingly sophisticated AI models.
For Meta, the potential partnership could provide an opportunity to monetise surplus computing capacity, while giving Anthropic access to the large-scale infrastructure needed to support the development of its AI systems.
Neither company has announced a final agreement, and the discussions remain at an early stage.
