Finance
Anthropic in talks with private equity firms on AI joint venture, the information reports
Published by Global Banking & Finance Review®
Posted on March 12, 2026
2 min readLast updated: March 12, 2026
Quick Summary
Anthropic is reportedly in discussions with private equity giants, including Blackstone and Hellman & Friedman, to launch an AI-focused joint venture aimed at deploying its Claude technology to companies backed by these firms.
Anthropic in talks with private equity firms on AI joint venture, The Information reports
Anthropic's Potential AI Joint Venture with Private Equity Firms
Ongoing Discussions and Potential Partners
March 11 (Reuters) - Anthropic is in talks with a group of private equity firms, including Blackstone and Hellman & Friedman, to form an AI-focused joint venture, The Information reported on Wednesday.
The partnership would aim to sell the Claude maker's technology to companies backed by the investment firms, the report said, citing a person involved in the discussions and another individual who was briefed about it.
Proposed Business Model
If finalised, the partnership would adopt a Palantir-style model to offer consulting services to help companies integrate Anthropic's AI into their operations, the report said.
Verification and Responses
Reuters could not immediately verify the report. Anthropic and Blackstone did not immediately respond to a Reuters' request for comment.
Government Dispute and Its Impact
There is an ongoing dispute between the U.S. and Anthropic over restrictions on the military's use of its AI tools that resulted in Defense Secretary Pete Hegseth labeling the company a supply chain risk and banning its use by the U.S. Department of Defense and its contractors.
Effect on Joint Venture Talks
The recent conflict between the U.S. government and Anthropic temporarily affected discussions over the joint venture, but talks are ongoing, according to The Information report.
Pentagon's Updated Guidance
Reuters reported earlier on Wednesday the Pentagon informed its senior leaders that use of Anthropic's AI tools, including Claude AI, could continue beyond the previously announced six-month phase-out period if deemed critical to national security.
Reporting Credits
(Reporting by Angela Christy in Bengaluru; Editing by Sherry Jacob-Phillips)
Key Takeaways
- •Anthropic is exploring a strategic joint venture with major private equity investors—Blackstone and Hellman & Friedman—to offer its AI capabilities to their portfolio firms, aiming to broaden enterprise adoption of Claude. (forbes.com)
- •This move underscores Anthropic’s continued push for expansive growth: the company’s valuation has surged from $61.5 billion in early 2025 to potentially as high as $380 billion following recent funding activity. (en.wikipedia.org)
- •The interest from private equity signals increasing maturity in the AI capital markets, with firms like Blackstone not only investing but seeking operational leverage by deploying Claude across their portfolio—a sign of generative AI’s transition from emerging tech to enterprise infrastructure. (creati.ai)
References
Frequently Asked Questions about Anthropic in talks with private equity firms on AI joint venture, The Information reports
1Which private equity firms are in talks with Anthropic for an AI joint venture?
Anthropic is in discussions with Blackstone and Hellman & Friedman to create an AI-focused joint venture.
2What is the purpose of the proposed Anthropic joint venture?
The joint venture aims to sell Claude AI technology to companies backed by the participating private equity firms.
3Has the Anthropic and private equity partnership been confirmed?
The report has not been independently verified by Reuters as of now.
4Which technology is central to Anthropic's joint venture discussions?
The Claude AI technology developed by Anthropic is central to the partnership discussions.