Anthropic is pursuing a major expansion of its computing footprint in Australia, seeking to lock in at least 1.4 gigawatts of data centre capacity in a development that may cost as much as $15 billion, according to confidential tender documents. The artificial intelligence company plans to begin using no less than 1 GW of that capacity by the end of 2027 after opening an Australian office earlier this year.
The company prefers to partner with a developer that can deliver a large-scale data centre campus exceeding 1.4 GW, but it has made clear it would consider jointly developing a site if a ready-made option is not available. This dual approach signals Anthropic's emphasis on securing substantial, consolidated infrastructure while retaining flexibility on delivery models.
Invitations to tender were distributed to a set of prominent Australian data centre operators. Firms that received the request included CDC Data Centres, AirTrunk, Nextdc (ASX:NXT), Iren and Stack. Initial proposals were submitted in March, and shortlisted bidders subsequently met company executives in Canberra in April, according to the documents.
Company decision timelines remain compressed: Anthropic is expected to reach a final determination within at least six weeks from the latest meetings. The tender documents also indicate the company could elect to split the overall capacity among four or five providers rather than awarding the entire contract to a single developer, allowing for a distributed supplier strategy.
For operators and market participants, the tender represents a sizeable potential contract and a strategic vote of confidence in Australia as a location for large-scale AI infrastructure. At the same time, the scale of the project and the possibility of dividing capacity among multiple providers underline Anthropic's appetite for redundancy and staging of supply.
Context limitations: The information summarized here is drawn from the confidential tender documents cited in the material provided to the company and bidders. Specific technical, site, financing or contractual terms beyond those described in the tender documents have not been disclosed.