TLDR
- Elon Musk clarifies SpaceX’s computing arrangement with Anthropic is structured as a 180-day lease rather than a multi-year commitment
- Both parties can terminate with 90 days’ notice following the initial period
- The AI firm will compensate SpaceX $1.25 billion monthly for Colossus data center access
- SpaceX requested the brief lease duration to maintain operational flexibility
- The rocket company plans a June public offering seeking up to $2 trillion in market value
Elon Musk took to social media Thursday to set the record straight about SpaceX‘s computing infrastructure agreement with artificial intelligence company Anthropic. In a post on X, he clarified that the arrangement is a temporary 180-day lease, contradicting interpretations of the company’s recent IPO documentation.
SpaceX’s public offering documents had outlined Anthropic making $1.25 billion monthly installments through May 2029. Analysts interpreted this as a long-term partnership potentially totaling nearly $45 billion. Musk quickly disputed this characterization.
“SpaceX has not committed to leasing Colossus for years, although it’s possible that may be what happens,” Musk clarified in his statement.
Under the terms, Anthropic gains access to over 300 megawatts of computational power from SpaceX’s Memphis, Tennessee-based Colossus facility. The agreement also encompasses the forthcoming Colossus 2 installation.
Following the six-month initial term, both companies retain the option to withdraw from the arrangement with a 90-day notification period. According to Musk, SpaceX initiated this flexible structure.
“The short term was our request, not Anthropic’s,” he explained.
SpaceX’s Strategic Rationale for Short-Term Agreements
Musk explained that [[LINK_START_1]]SpaceX[[LINK_END_1]] might require reclaiming the computing resources should its own operational requirements intensify. He assured that the company would facilitate a smooth transition for Anthropic in such circumstances.
“We won’t leave them hanging and will provide a reasonable off-ramp, but if compute gets super tight I said we might need it back at some point,” Musk stated.
Recent statements from Musk indicate SpaceX has initiated discussions with additional firms about commercializing AI computing services. This signals the aerospace company’s ambition to monetize its data center capabilities more broadly.
Financial disclosures show SpaceX’s AI division sustained approximately $2.5 billion in operational losses during the first quarter of this year against $818 million in revenue. The integration of xAI, SpaceX’s AI subsidiary, occurred last year. xAI reported cumulative losses of $6.36 billion throughout 2025.
Renting computational infrastructure to external clients such as Anthropic represents a revenue stream from SpaceX’s data center investments. xAI’s Grok conversational AI platform currently trails competing offerings from Anthropic and OpenAI in user adoption.
SpaceX’s Upcoming Public Market Debut
SpaceX initiated its IPO process last week, seeking to raise $75 billion in capital. The aerospace manufacturer is pursuing a market capitalization ranging from $1.75 trillion to $2 trillion, with the public offering scheduled for June.
The Colossus computing agreement with Anthropic appeared prominently in the IPO filing as a potential revenue generator. Musk’s explanation regarding the lease duration came as a direct reply to online commentary analyzing the filing documents.
Neither SpaceX nor Anthropic provided statements to media inquiries made after regular business hours.
Anthropic’s payment structure includes reduced monthly amounts during May and June 2026, with standard payments commencing in subsequent months.
Get 3 Free Stock Ebooks
Discover top-performing stocks in AI, Crypto, and Technology with expert analysis.
- Top 10 AI Stocks - Leading AI companies
- Top 10 Crypto Stocks - Blockchain leaders
- Top 10 Tech Stocks - Tech giants
