Google is preparing to support a multibillion-dollar Texas data center project leased to Anthropic amid growing competition for artificial intelligence infrastructure.
The project, operated by Nexus Data Centers, could exceed $5 billion in its initial phase, with Google expected to provide loans for construction, Financial Times reported on Friday, citing people familiar with the matter. The report shows that a consortium of banks is also competing to provide financing until mid-year.
According to the report, Anthropic recently signed a lease for a 2,800-acre campus that is part of its broader infrastructure partnership with Google. Construction is already underway and is supported by early-stage debt financing from Eagle Point, a publicly traded closed-end investment company.
By the end of 2026, the plant is expected to deliver approximately 500 megawatts of power, roughly equivalent to powering 500,000 homes, with a potential expansion to 7.7 gigawatts. Its location is close to major gas pipelines operated by companies such as Enterprise Products Partners, Energy Transfer and Atmos Energy, allowing the project to rely on on-site gas turbines.
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Judge blocks Pentagon ban on Anthropic
On Thursday, a US federal judge in San Francisco temporarily blocked the Pentagon from designating Anthropic as a national security threat and ending the government’s utilize of artificial intelligence tools. Judge Rita Lin issued a preliminary injunction, halting a directive backed by President Donald Trump that sought to cut off federal utilize of Anthropic’s chatbot, Claude.
The ruling came in a lawsuit filed by Anthropic that alleged that Secretary of Defense Pete Hegseth exceeded his authority by designating the company as posing a supply chain risk. The judge described the government’s actions as “arbitrary” and cautioned against labeling the U.S. company as a threat without a clear legal basis.
The dispute followed a breakdown in negotiations between Anthropic and the Pentagon over the military utilize of artificial intelligence. The company has opposed the utilize of its models for lethal autonomous weapons or mass surveillance, which has led to a broader conflict with the administration.
In her decision, Lin said the government could have retaliated against Anthropic for its public stance, calling the measures a likely violation of First Amendment protections.
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The US military used anthropic artificial intelligence in an attack on Iran
As Cointelegraph reports, US military units reportedly used Anthropic’s Claude artificial intelligence model in a major raid on Iran, even after Trump issued the ban. Military commands, including US Central Command (CENTCOM) in the Middle East, have reportedly used an AI model for operational support
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