Anthropic weighs $6 billion Decart AI deal

Anthropic PBC is in talks to acquire artificial intelligence startup Decart AI in a transaction that would value the target at about $6 billion. The deal, if completed, would be the largest known acquisition for the Claude chatbot maker. The discussions reflect Anthropic’s efforts to expand its capabilities in a market where demand for advanced AI systems is increasing.

The two companies are described as being in early-stage negotiations, and no binding agreement has been announced. Both Anthropic and Decart have declined to comment on the talks. The possibility remains that discussions could end without a transaction, underscoring the preliminary nature of the process.

Decart develops software that helps reduce the cost of training and operating AI models by making computing chips work more efficiently. Its technology is aimed at optimizing how hardware resources are used for intensive AI tasks, a key constraint for companies scaling large models. By improving efficiency, the software can lower overall compute requirements for given workloads.

For Anthropic, such capabilities are seen as a way to help its existing computing infrastructure handle more usage. As adoption of Anthropic’s AI software grows, the ability to run models more cheaply and at higher throughput has become increasingly important. Integrating Decart’s optimization tools could enhance the performance and cost profile of Anthropic’s current hardware stack.

In May, Decart raised $300 million in a funding round led by investors including Radical Ventures, with participation from Nvidia and others. That capital raise valued the startup at almost $4 billion. The company’s focus on chip efficiency and AI workload optimization has attracted interest from both financial and strategic backers.

A prospective purchase price of about $6 billion would represent roughly a 50% premium to Decart’s most recent private valuation. Such a step-up highlights the strategic importance being placed on technologies that can reduce AI compute costs. If completed, the deal would mark a significant revaluation of Decart in a short period following its latest funding round.

Because the negotiations remain at an early stage, key terms such as final pricing, structure, and timing have not been disclosed. No information has been made public on how Decart would be integrated into Anthropic’s operations. Until a definitive agreement is announced, the potential acquisition remains uncertain.

Nonetheless, the talks underline ongoing consolidation and investment in AI infrastructure and efficiency technologies. As compute capacity and costs become central competitive factors, transactions of this scale signal the strategic role of specialized optimization software within the broader AI ecosystem.