Anthropic PBC has committed $45 billion to secure AI cloud computing capacity from Nscale's flagship West Virginia data center project, representing the company's latest effort to lock down infrastructure for its rapidly expanding operations before going public.
Nscale will deploy Nvidia Corp.'s Vera Rubin processors, which are expected to begin operating late next year, according to sources familiar with the arrangement. The agreement spans six years and covers approximately 460 megawatts - enough to supply roughly 345,000 American households simultaneously.
Anthropic, which developed the Claude AI assistant, has become one of the most important buyers of data center capacity in the industry. In recent months, the company has signed multiple agreements with cloud providers, including a $50 billion pact with Fluidstack, a $10 billion agreement with Volta Infra Holdings, and a $45 billion deal with SpaceX. With a valuation of $965 billion as of May, Anthropic is expected to launch a historic IPO in the near future. The company declined to comment on these matters.
Securing a tenant for the West Virginia facility represents a major milestone for London-headquartered Nscale as it gears up for its own public offering potentially within weeks. The company has established itself among the leading neoclouds - a category of firms including CoreWeave Inc. that specialize in renting AI-focused computing infrastructure.
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Anthropic's deal only covers the first building of three at Nscale's Monarch campus in West Virginia; when fully built, the entire complex is projected to have 1.35 gigawatts of capacity. According to planning documents, developing the entire campus along with its on-site power generation will require approximately $71 billion in investment, with AI chips representing the largest expense at $47 billion. The remaining buildings are scheduled to begin delivering computing power in 2028.
Interestingly, Microsoft Corp. had initially been expected to occupy the facility. In March, Microsoft announced it had signed a letter of intent - essentially a reservation - for the planned data center, and the two companies had previously collaborated on projects in Europe. However, Microsoft withdrew from the West Virginia location earlier this summer, which opened the door for Anthropic to step in as the tenant, according to the sources. Microsoft declined to offer any comment.
Once fully operational, the data center complex will support approximately 1,450 direct jobs at the site, with an additional 3,600 indirect positions created throughout West Virginia, per the planning documents. During the construction phase, the project will employ roughly 4,375 workers.
Beyond West Virginia, Nscale continues developing a substantial campus in Norway that Microsoft will utilize. The company has informed prospective investors that it holds approximately $51 billion in total contracted revenue ahead of its listing, according to Bloomberg. Nscale's board includes several former Meta Platforms executives, adding experienced leadership to the rapidly expanding company.
