SpaceX clarifies short-term Colossus AI data centre deal with Anthropic

SpaceX CEO Elon Musk has said the company’s agreement to lease its Colossus AI training data centre clusters to Anthropic is limited to a six-month arrangement, although he noted that the partnership could potentially be extended depending on future conditions.

Musk clarified in a post on X on Thursday, stating that SpaceX has not committed to a long-term lease of the infrastructure, despite earlier reporting that suggested a multi-year arrangement tied to the AI company’s compute needs.

He explained that the deal was structured as a short-term lease with a mutual 90-day cancellation notice period, adding that the arrangement was initiated at SpaceX’s request rather than Anthropic’s.

Earlier disclosures had indicated that Anthropic would pay about $1.25 billion per month to access compute capacity from Colossus and Colossus II data centre clusters in Memphis, Tennessee, through 2029, although Musk said the company retains flexibility to reclaim capacity if needed.

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The SpaceX filing linked to its IPO noted that both parties retain the right to terminate the agreement with 90 days’ notice, although it did not explicitly reference the six-month lease structure described by Musk.

Musk also suggested that while the current arrangement is short-term, it could evolve into a longer engagement depending on demand for AI computing power, noting that SpaceX may need additional flexibility if internal requirements increase.

The disclosure comes as SpaceX expands its presence in AI infrastructure, with Musk previously indicating that the company is exploring offering large-scale AI compute services to external clients.

The AI segment has also become a significant cost centre for the company, with reports indicating it recorded billions in operating losses in recent quarters amid heavy investment in infrastructure and capacity expansion.

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