Anthropic’s failed $7 billion bid for chip startup MatX

The failed merger discussions with MatX, a startup founded by former Google TPU engineers, have reportedly transitioned into a search for a potential partnership. MatX is currently seeking fresh capital at a valuation near $4 billion, according to sources familiar with the private negotiations. Anthropic has declined to comment on the matter, and MatX representatives have not responded to inquiries.

Anthropic is actively scouting the semiconductor landscape, holding meetings with various chip startups to evaluate different design approaches. This internal push is bolstered by recent high-profile hires, including Google veteran Amir Salek and former OpenAI engineer Clive Chan. By prioritizing custom silicon, Anthropic aims to optimize performance and lower costs for its large-scale models, mirroring moves by competitors like OpenAI, which recently showcased its own energy-efficient 'Jalapeno' chip. The company has yet to commit to a specific acquisition, remaining in an investigative phase to determine whether to focus on training chips or inference-focused hardware.