Elon Musk recently reaffirmed his commitment to Anthropic, a leading AI lab, after speculation on X that he could abruptly shut down their models on SpaceX servers. Musk responded unequivocally that such a move is "not my style."

From Past Skepticism to Current Partnership

In September 2025, Musk posted on X that "Winning was never in the set of possible outcomes for Anthropic," a statement that sparked controversy given Anthropic’s already sizable market share among enterprises. Fast‑forward to July 2026, and Anthropic has emerged as one of SpaceX’s biggest customers, signaling a dramatic shift in the relationship.

Deal Size and Financial Stakes

In May 2026, Anthropic signed a deal to purchase 300 megawatts of compute from the xAI‑Colossus 1 data center near Memphis, Tennessee. The agreement locks in a $1.25 billion monthly payment through May 2029—roughly $40 billion in total revenue for SpaceX’s xAI division. For context, Google also secured SpaceX infrastructure through June 2029 at $920 million per month.

Musk’s Competitive‑Friendly Stance

"They are obviously currently the leader in AI. No company has released a model as good as Mythos/Fable and they will undoubtedly have Mythos 2 ready soon," Musk wrote, emphasizing his respect for Anthropic’s technology. He added, "I would never cut them off in a way that hurts them badly, even as a competitor. That's not my style." To illustrate his point, he referenced Tesla’s 2014 decision to open its patent portfolio to anyone in good faith, as well as the company’s willingness to share its Supercharger network with rivals.

Potential Risks and Contractual Safeguards

While Musk’s rhetoric suggests goodwill, the contractual framework still binds both parties. A sudden termination of Anthropic’s compute could trigger severe legal repercussions and erode a revenue stream that is vital to SpaceX’s AI ambitions. Moreover, Anthropic’s engineers working on the massive compute platform provide SpaceX’s own teams with valuable insights into scaling AI workloads—similar to the knowledge transfer Amazon gains from hosting third‑party models.

Strategic Implications and Future Outlook

The partnership currently appears mutually advantageous: Anthropic secures a reliable, high‑capacity compute environment, and SpaceX benefits from a lucrative, long‑term contract while deepening its expertise in AI infrastructure. However, as the three‑year term progresses, the dynamics could shift—especially if competitive pressures or regulatory scrutiny intensify.

Conclusion

For now, Musk’s public assurance adds a layer of stability to a high‑stakes AI collaboration, but the true test will come when the contract matures and the market evolves.