GoKawiilAnthropic, OpenAI Seek Smaller 20-30MW Data Center Deals Alongside Gigawatt Contracts
Anthropic and OpenAI are pursuing smaller data center deals in the 20-30 megawatt range, according to sources familiar with the discussions, even as both companies have already signed massive multi-hundred-megawatt and gigawatt infrastructure agreements. Anthropic has explored such deals in the UK and Nordics, while OpenAI has looked at similar opportunities in the Nordics, with talks also reportedly underway for smaller U.S. deployments. OpenAI confirmed it is building a 'diversified compute portfolio' but declined to discuss specific commercial talks; Anthropic did not comment.
GoKawiil's interpretation of the reporting above, not reported fact.
Smaller capacity deals let AI labs deploy compute faster than waiting years for massive facilities to come online, addressing urgent near-term demand for training and serving models. This dual strategy—chasing both giant and modest deals—signals how intense the competition for compute has become, with speed and flexibility now as valuable as scale.
- Anthropic and OpenAI are both seeking smaller 20-30MW data center deals beyond their existing gigawatt-scale contracts.
- Discussions span the UK, Nordics, and reportedly the U.S., according to multiple sources.
- Smaller deals allow faster deployment of AI workloads amid surging demand for compute capacity.
Source: cnbc.com — Kai Nicol-Schwarz, 2026-09-18
Published there as: “Anthropic and OpenAI hunt for smaller data center deals, sources tell CNBC, in race to deploy AI capacity”
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