Anthropic Cuts a New Deal: Sharing More Revenue to Win the Cloud

Anthropic is giving Amazon and Google a bigger piece of the pie. The AI startup, maker of the Claude models, has renegotiated its contracts with the two cloud giants, according to a report from The Information. The revised terms grant AWS and Google Cloud a larger share of revenue when clients use Claude through their platforms. The goal is straightforward: to ensure sales teams at Amazon and Google push Claude as hard as they promote their own in-house AI products.

This shift highlights a tricky reality for Anthropic. Both Amazon, which has invested up to $8 billion, and Google, a $2 billion backer, are also its direct competitors. Amazon is building its Nova models, while Google aggressively markets Gemini. By offering sweeter terms, Anthropic is paying a premium to stay at the forefront of their cloud marketplaces—where most corporate clients now shop for AI.

The financial calculus is a trade-off. Anthropic accepts thinner margins on each sale, betting that vastly increased volume from these essential channels will more than make up the difference. The company’s revenue has soared, reportedly hitting a $2 billion annual run rate early this year. With plans for a massive new funding round at a valuation that could top $60 billion, demonstrating rapid growth is non-negotiable.

For the broader industry, Anthropic’s move sets a new benchmark. Rivals like OpenAI, which operates primarily through an exclusive deal with Microsoft, and smaller model makers may now face pressure to match these richer terms for cloud partners. For businesses buying AI, the change could mean more direct recommendations and support for Claude from their cloud vendors, accelerating its integration into everything from finance to healthcare. Anthropic’s play is clear: in the race for AI dominance, owning the store shelf is worth the price.