AI lab profile
Anthropic
Anthropic, the maker of Claude, has opened a Sydney office, signed a Memorandum of Understanding with the Australian Government, signed its first Australian data centre lease, at Zerra DC's Western Downs Digital Park in Queensland, and is reported to be seeking at least 1.4GW of Australian capacity.
Founded: 2021. Headquarters: San Francisco. CEO: Dario Amodei.
Key figures
- Government MoU: 31 Mar 2026 (first under the National AI Plan)
- Sydney office: Open (April 2026, fourth APAC office)
- ANZ lead: Theo Hourmouzis (General Manager, Australia and New Zealand)
- First lease: Western Downs, Qld (First stage, signed Sep 2026, subject to FIRB and council)
- Australian capacity sought: At least 1.4GW (AFR-reported tender figure)
- Reported build cost: Up to US$15bn (About A$21.6bn, AFR-reported tender figure)
- Targeted in use: At least 1GW (By end 2027, AFR-reported tender figure)
Profile summary
| Field | Value |
|---|---|
| Founded | 2021 |
| Global HQ | San Francisco |
| CEO | Dario Amodei |
| Co-founders | Dario and Daniela Amodei |
| Australian presence | Sydney office open since April 2026, Anthropic's fourth Asia-Pacific office |
| ANZ leadership | Theo Hourmouzis, General Manager Australia and New Zealand, from Snowflake |
| Government engagement | MoU signed 31 Mar 2026, first under the National AI Plan |
| Data centre signal | Hiring in Sydney for data centre capacity delivery, server lifecycle engineering and community engagement, including a Community Engagement Manager for data centres in Australia (three data centre roles listed on 9 Oct 2026) |
| New South Wales interest | Internal New South Wales government emails, released under a parliamentary order, record an approach in March 2026 about locating up to 5GW of AI training capacity in the state, reported by the ABC on 26 Aug 2026 |
| Programs | AI for Science, AUD$3m Claude credits |
| Research institutions | ANU, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Garvan Institute and Curtin |
| Backers | Amazon and Google, context |
| Ownership and listing | Private. Filed confidentially for a US listing in June 2026 (1 June, as reported). Reuters reported on 28 Sep 2026 that the prospectus shows US$518bn of cloud, computing and infrastructure obligations (Reuters reports, from a confidential prospectus), with a listing expected after the November US midterm elections |
Anthropic in Australia
Anthropic opened its Sydney office in April 2026, its fourth Asia-Pacific office after Tokyo, Bengaluru and Seoul, led by General Manager for Australia and New Zealand Theo Hourmouzis, who joined from Snowflake.
Its Australian government engagement centres on a Memorandum of Understanding signed on 31 March 2026, the first under the National AI Plan, covering cooperation with Australia's AI Safety Institute, joint safety and security evaluations, Economic Index data sharing and workforce education. The AI for Science program provides AUD$3m in Claude API credits to ANU, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, the Garvan Institute and Curtin.
The Australian Financial Review's Street Talk column reported on 5 July 2026 that Anthropic has issued a confidential request for proposal seeking at least 1.4GW of Australian data centre capacity, a build the AFR costed at up to US$15 billion, or about A$21.6 billion. By that account Anthropic is targeting at least 1GW in use by the end of 2027, invited proposals from CDC Data Centres, AirTrunk, NEXTDC, IREN and Stack, received initial submissions in March 2026 and met shortlisted bidders in Canberra in April. The requirement may be split across four or five contracts, with CDC reported as front-runner for the largest share at roughly 500MW. The AFR described the Western Downs lease, reported on 16 September 2026, as Anthropic's first commitment since the tender was revealed, not as an award under it. On 22 September the AFR reported advanced talks for AirTrunk's 540MW Kurri Kurri campus, with nothing formalised.
Internal New South Wales government emails, released under a parliamentary order, record an earlier and larger figure. On 18 March 2026 an Infrastructure NSW executive wrote to Investment NSW officers that Anthropic's chief executive was visiting Sydney and wanted to discuss locating up to 5GW of AI training capacity in New South Wales, including outside Sydney. The email described the capacity without attaching a timeframe. The ABC, which reported the documents on 26 August 2026, understands the figure reflected initial interest, and that Anthropic was one of several technology companies Infrastructure NSW had spoken with about future computing demand. Anthropic has made no public statement of how much Australian capacity it is seeking.
From 31 August 2026 Deputy Prime Minister Richard Marles and Assistant Minister Andrew Charlton travelled to San Francisco to meet Anthropic alongside OpenAI, Microsoft, Google, Amazon and NVIDIA. The Australian Financial Review framed the trip as preparation for data centre deals tied to a copyright settlement, which is the newspaper's characterisation rather than a government statement. No further agreement with the federal government has been announced. Anthropic's first Australian lease, with Zerra DC, followed in September.
Anthropic has also built a route to purpose-built capacity of its own. On 10 August 2026 it announced Theseus Infrastructure with Macquarie Asset Management and GIC, a venture that will develop, operate and lease data centres to Anthropic on long-term agreements, with Anthropic as the anchor tenant, meaning the customer whose demand underwrites each building. Funds managed by Macquarie Asset Management and GIC own the venture and fund most of the equity for each project. The announced initial focus is the United States.
Australian compute and data centre commitments
Anthropic's Australian subsidiary has signed lease documentation for the first stage of Zerra DC's Western Downs Digital Park near Dalby, Queensland, subject to Foreign Investment Review Board and council approval. The Australian Financial Review has separately reported a tender for at least 1.4GW and advanced talks over AirTrunk's Kurri Kurri campus.
| Commitment | Partner or location | Scope | Status |
|---|---|---|---|
| Sydney office | Sydney | Fourth APAC office, led by GM ANZ Theo Hourmouzis | Operational |
| National AI Plan MoU | Australian Government | AI Safety Institute cooperation, Economic Index data and workforce education | Signed |
| Western Downs Digital Park | Zerra DC consortium, Kogan near Dalby, Queensland | Lease documentation signed for the first stage (the first of four planned buildings, ABC); Anthropic's share in MW not disclosed; for inference, running Claude for users | Signed Sep 2026, subject to FIRB and council; first use targeted 2027 |
| AirTrunk Kurri Kurri | Former Hydro Aluminium smelter, Loxford, NSW Hunter | Proposed 540MW campus (total power consumption); Anthropic in advanced talks to anchor it | Reported, nothing formalised (AFR, 22 Sep 2026) |
| Data centre capacity (reported tender) | Australia | AFR-reported confidential RFP seeking at least 1.4GW; the AFR described the Western Downs lease as not an award under it | Reported |
| Theseus Infrastructure | Macquarie Asset Management and GIC | Venture to develop, operate and lease data centres to Anthropic as anchor tenant; announced initial focus is the United States | Announced 10 Aug 2026 |
| New South Wales interest | New South Wales | Internal New South Wales government emails record an approach in March 2026 about locating up to 5GW of AI training capacity in New South Wales | Reported |
Government and partnerships
| Date | Program or agreement | Scope | Partners |
|---|---|---|---|
| 31 Mar 2026 | National AI Plan MoU | AI safety, Economic Index data and workforce education | Australian Government and Australia's AI Safety Institute |
| 2026 | AI for Science | AUD$3m Claude API credits | ANU, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, Garvan Institute and Curtin |
| Sep 2026 | Queensland government talks | Premier David Crisafulli met Anthropic's special envoy Jeff Bleich in Sacramento; Queensland reports an agreement to explore data centre opportunities in the state; nothing signed | Queensland Government (Courier Mail, 3 Sep 2026) |
| 2026 | Submission 305 to the Joint Select Committee on AI | Leased sites to add new generation and pay the full grid connection cost; preference for closed-loop, air-cooled designs; proposes a narrow conditional approval for copyright. Committee reports by 30 Nov 2026 | Parliament of Australia |
Programs and platform
Anthropic's public Australian activity centres on Claude, AI safety cooperation and research programs.
The AI for Science program provides Claude API credits to named Australian research institutions by Anthropic's account.
Leadership
| Name | Role |
|---|---|
| Dario Amodei | CEO. Anthropic co-founder |
| Daniela Amodei | President. Anthropic co-founder |
| Theo Hourmouzis | General Manager, Australia and New Zealand. Joined from Snowflake, appointed April 2026 |
How Anthropic compares
| Lab | Australian presence | Government engagement | Compute commitment | Programs |
|---|---|---|---|---|
| Anthropic | Sydney office open since April 2026 | National AI Plan MoU | Western Downs lease, first stage, subject to approvals; reported 1.4GW tender; Theseus venture (US focus) | AI for Science |
| OpenAI | Sydney office and OpenAI for Australia | OpenAI for Australia; MoU with the South Australian Government (Aug 2026) | NEXTDC S7 Stargate MoU | OpenAI Academy |
Latest coverage
Frequently Asked Questions
Does Anthropic have an Australian office?
Yes. Anthropic opened its Sydney office in April 2026, its fourth Asia-Pacific office, led by General Manager for Australia and New Zealand Theo Hourmouzis.
What is the Anthropic Australia MoU?
The MoU with the Australian Government covers AI safety cooperation, Economic Index data and workforce education under the National AI Plan.
Is Anthropic building data centres in Australia?
Anthropic leases data centres rather than building them. In September 2026 its Australian subsidiary signed lease documentation for the first stage of Zerra DC's Western Downs Digital Park near Dalby, Queensland, subject to approvals, with use targeted from 2027. The Australian Financial Review also reports a tender for at least 1.4GW of Australian capacity and talks over AirTrunk's Kurri Kurri campus.
Who does Anthropic work with in Australia?
Anthropic's named Australian partners include the Australian Government, Australia's AI Safety Institute and research institutions in the AI for Science program.
What is Anthropic's AI for Science program in Australia?
AI for Science provides AUD$3m of Claude API credits to ANU, Murdoch Children's Research Institute, the Garvan Institute and Curtin.
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