Anthropic, a leading US start-up known for its AI chatbot Claude, is making strides to establish a presence in Australia. This move aligns with the federal government’s strategy to attract foreign technology investments. Documents submitted to the corporate regulator in December reveal that the $US350 billion ($523.7 billion) AI firm has initiated the process to set up a local subsidiary, Anthropic Australia, with its registration linked to the legal firm Baker McKenzie in Sydney’s Barangaroo.
The filing identifies Anthropic’s California-based general counsel, Jeffrey Bleich, and David Cowper as the company’s Australian directors. Founded in 2021 by former OpenAI employees and siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, Anthropic is expected to disclose more details about its Australian market strategy in the first half of this year. However, the company has not yet announced who will lead its operations in Australia or what its primary business functions will be.
Australia: A Growing Hub for AI Investment
Anthropic’s expansion into Australia follows a trend among global AI companies seeking to broaden their international operations. The Australian market has become increasingly attractive to technology competitors, driven by a surge in commercial and infrastructure deals. Despite the lack of specific details about Anthropic’s plans, the company’s entry into the Australian market is significant.
A spokesperson for Anthropic declined to comment on the development. The company is set to become the second major AI firm to establish a foothold in Australia within recent months. Late last year, OpenAI, the creator of ChatGPT, marked the opening of its Australian headquarters with an event at the Museum of Contemporary Art, alongside forming partnerships with major Australian corporations.
Government Initiatives and Economic Impact
The arrival of OpenAI and Anthropic coincides with a series of AI initiatives launched by the Albanese government. These initiatives aim to enhance Australia’s AI capabilities, improve productivity, and attract both commercial and infrastructure investments. The AI boom has already seen OpenAI commit over $US500 billion to the necessary data centre infrastructure to support its global technology operations.
In December, OpenAI’s investments extended to Australia as part of the company’s Stargate project, initially announced at the White House in January. OpenAI struck a $7 billion deal with ASX-listed NextDC for a data centre in Sydney’s Eastern Creek. Treasurer Jim Chalmers described the deal as a “terrific outcome” for both the economy and the tech sector.
“It’s more proof Australia has the talent, clean energy potential, trade partnerships, and policy settings needed to be one of the big winners when it comes to AI,” Chalmers stated last month. “Partnerships like these will help create good jobs, boost skills, and spread AI adoption across our economy.”
Looking Forward: Economic and Technological Implications
According to Commonwealth Bank senior economist Ashwin Clarke, the Australian economy is poised for a modest investment growth of about 3.5% annually through the latter half of 2026 and into 2027, spurred by investments in data centres and renewable projects.
“We estimate the combined renewable and data centre investment pipeline of potential projects is very large at about $150 billion. The timing is uncertain, but much of this will be invested over the next five years, with a ramp-up as early as 2027,” Clarke noted.
As Australia positions itself as a hub for data centre investment across the region, the entry of major AI companies like Anthropic and OpenAI underscores the country’s growing importance in the global technology landscape. The developments in AI infrastructure and capability are expected to have far-reaching impacts, potentially transforming various sectors and boosting economic growth.
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