Amazon Weighs Major Investment in Anthropic AI

Published Date : 11/07/2025 

Amazon is reportedly in talks to make a substantial new investment in Anthropic, further solidifying its position in the AI race against Microsoft and OpenAI. 

Amazon is reportedly considering adding to its $8 billion investment in Anthropic, the artificial intelligence (AI) model builder, according to a report by the Financial Times (FT). The tech giant has discussed a new, multibillion-dollar injection into the company, which would deepen their existing partnership.

This deal would cement Amazon as one of Anthropic’s biggest shareholders, surpassing Google, which has also invested more than $3 billion. The investment would also position Amazon to counter Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI, which has given Microsoft an early advantage in the commercialization of AI products.

A spokesperson for Amazon declined to comment on the speculation, citing the company’s longstanding policy of not commenting on rumors. However, Dan Grossman, vice-president of worldwide corporate development at Amazon, told the FT, “We quickly realized that we had many shared goals that were fundamentally critical. The size of the [existing investment] represents our ambition.”

The new funding would also deepen ties between the companies as they work on one of the world’s largest data center projects and collaborate on sales of Anthropic’s technology to Amazon’s cloud computing customers.

The FT report highlights the risks of such a close alignment. Microsoft’s $14 billion investment in OpenAI initially gave the companies a significant advantage, but the relationship has become strained as OpenAI moves from a non-profit to a for-profit model. This shift has raised concerns about anticompetitive behavior.

In other Amazon news, the company continues to invest heavily in AI and other tech efforts to maintain its competitive edge against Walmart. Amazon’s approach is rooted in platform thinking: build once, scale infinitely. The company owns the tech stack, cloud infrastructure, and increasingly, the means of distribution. Its retail business is a flywheel powered by Prime, Amazon Web Services (AWS), Marketplace, and now artificial intelligence.

Walmart, on the other hand, is playing to its traditional strengths while aggressively modernizing. The company is upgrading its headquarters to reflect a more tech-forward culture, which can bolster new data science, eCommerce, and omnichannel retail initiatives. Both companies are converging on the same outcome: frictionless commerce. However, the pathways they take—one engineered from code and the other from community presence—highlight the strategic diversity in retail. 

Frequently Asked Questions (FAQS): 

Q: What is Anthropic?

A: Anthropic is an AI research organization focused on developing and deploying AI systems that are aligned with human values and beneficial to society.

Q: How much has Amazon already invested in Anthropic?

A: Amazon has already invested $8 billion in Anthropic.

Q: Why is Amazon considering a new investment in Anthropic?

A: Amazon is considering a new investment to deepen its partnership with Anthropic, solidify its position in the AI race, and counter Microsoft’s partnership with OpenAI.

Q: What is the potential risk of a close alignment between Amazon and Anthropic?

A: The potential risk is similar to the strained relationship between Microsoft and OpenAI, where the shift from a non-profit to a for-profit model has raised concerns about anticompetitive behavior.

Q: How is Amazon’s approach to AI different from Walmart’s?

A: Amazon’s approach is rooted in platform thinking, building once and scaling infinitely, while Walmart is playing to its traditional strengths while aggressively modernizing its tech and retail initiatives. 

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