Anthropic is considering what could become its largest known acquisition, entering early-stage talks to buy Nvidia-backed artificial intelligence startup Decart AI as surging demand for Claude puts greater pressure on the company’s computing infrastructure.
Decart Could Help Anthropic Stretch Its AI Infrastructure
The acquisition would give Anthropic more than another collection of AI models.
Reuters said Decart develops AI infrastructure and optimization technology that could help Anthropic’s existing computing infrastructure “absorb more demand,” according to a source familiar with the matter.
That capability could be strategically important as Anthropic expands Claude and competes for the limited computing capacity needed to train models and serve a growing number of users.
Bloomberg’s report placed the potential acquisition at roughly $6 billion, a price that would make the discussions particularly significant for Anthropic as it increases investment in the infrastructure supporting its AI products.
Lucy and Oasis Expand Decart Beyond Infrastructure
Decart is also developing AI models built around real-time video and simulated environments.
Decart’s Lucy model can edit live video in real time, while its Oasis model generates simulated environments that can be used to train and test robotics and autonomous-driving systems.
Those technologies give Decart capabilities extending beyond traditional language models. Simulated environments, in particular, can provide machines with artificial settings in which they can learn or be evaluated before operating in physical environments.
Bloomberg characterized Decart as an AI startup at the center of Anthropic’s acquisition discussions, with the reported $6 billion price illustrating the value being placed on infrastructure and model technology as major AI developers compete for efficiency and computing resources.
Nvidia Joined Decart’s $300 Million Funding Round
Decart already has backing from one of the most important companies in the AI computing market.
Decart raised $300 million in May in a funding round led by Radical Ventures, with Nvidia joining as a new investor.
The proposed acquisition nevertheless remains uncertain.
Negotiations are still at an early stage and that, if a transaction is completed, Decart’s employees are expected to join Anthropic’s inference and performance organization. Anthropic declined to comment to Reuters, while Decart did not immediately respond to its request for comment.
Anthropic Pushes to Remove Claude’s Capacity Constraints
The talks come as Anthropic prepares for a possible major public offering while investing aggressively in the computing systems required to support Claude.
Anthropic is trying to overcome capacity constraints and recently began recruiting engineers with expertise across both hardware and software to co-design custom chips and AI models that could make Claude faster and more efficient.
A Decart acquisition would therefore be less about simply adding another AI startup to Anthropic’s portfolio and more about strengthening the machinery behind Claude. As frontier AI companies serve more customers, the competition increasingly depends not only on which company builds the smartest model, but which one can operate those models efficiently enough to meet demand.
At a reported $6 billion, the Decart negotiations show how valuable that infrastructure advantage has become. If the deal proceeds, Anthropic would be buying technology, models and engineering talent that could help turn additional computing resources into more Claude capacity just as the company prepares for its next stage of growth.
