Anthropic has decided not to acquire artificial intelligence startup Decart AI, despite exploring a potential deal and conducting due diligence on the company, according to people familiar with the matter. The decision puts an end, for now, to talks that could have resulted in one of Anthropic’s biggest acquisitions.
The companies could still explore other ways to work together, one person familiar with the discussions said. Representatives for both Anthropic and Decart declined to comment.
The development comes after reports in August that Anthropic was considering acquiring Decart for around $6 billion. At the time, negotiations had not been finalized, leaving open the possibility that the deal could collapse.
Credits: CTech
Why Anthropic Was Interested in Decart
Decart has developed technology designed to make AI computing more efficient, potentially allowing companies to get more performance out of expensive AI chips.
The startup’s optimization technology is focused on improving how chips are used during both AI model training and inference. Training involves teaching an AI model using large amounts of data, while inference is the process of running the trained model to generate responses or perform tasks.
For Anthropic, such technology could have been particularly valuable as demand for its Claude chatbot and other AI products continues to increase.
The company has been investing heavily in computing infrastructure as it develops new AI models and expands its customer base. Improving the efficiency of that infrastructure could help Anthropic handle more workloads without simply adding more expensive computing capacity.
Decart’s Growing AI Ambitions
Founded in 2023 by Israeli engineers Dean Leitersdorf, Orian Leitersdorf and Moshe Shalev, Decart has rapidly built a reputation in the AI infrastructure and world-model space.
The company describes its optimization stack as technology designed to help AI developers get maximum performance from their computing hardware.
Beyond infrastructure, Decart is also developing world models, AI systems designed to simulate aspects of the physical world. Such technology could eventually be used across industries including autonomous driving, advertising and e-commerce.
One of its notable products is Lucy AI, which can process live video of a person and generate high-resolution, real-time video that makes it appear as though the person is trying on products such as clothing or accessories.
That capability could be particularly useful for online retailers trying to make digital shopping experiences more interactive. eBay, which is also an investor in Decart, is among the startup’s customers.
A Nearly $4 Billion Startup
Decart’s rapid growth has also attracted significant investor interest.
In May, the startup announced a $300 million funding round led by Radical Ventures, with participation from Nvidia, Atreides Management, Valor Equity Partners and Adobe Ventures. Existing investors including Sequoia Capital, Benchmark and Zeev Ventures also participated.
The funding reportedly valued Decart at nearly $4 billion, up from a valuation of around $3.1 billion in August 2025.
That sharp increase highlights the growing investor appetite for companies developing technologies that can make AI cheaper, faster and more capable.
Credits: Bloomberg
Anthropic’s Growing Appetite for Compute
The failed acquisition also comes at an important moment for Anthropic.
The Claude maker has been pursuing massive amounts of computing power to support the development and deployment of increasingly sophisticated AI models. The company is also preparing for a highly anticipated initial public offering, with reports suggesting it could seek a valuation comparable to or even larger than SpaceX.
Anthropic has historically been less aggressive than some technology giants when it comes to major acquisitions. Its interest in Decart therefore underscored how strategically important AI infrastructure and computing efficiency have become.
Although the proposed $6 billion deal is no longer moving forward, Anthropic’s interest in Decart demonstrates the increasing value being placed on technologies that can improve AI performance without requiring an unlimited supply of computing resources.
For Decart, meanwhile, the collapse of the acquisition talks does little to diminish its momentum. With billions in valuation, major technology investors and customers, the startup appears well positioned to continue building its independent business in the rapidly expanding AI ecosystem.
