Nvidia Takes $18 Billion Stake in SpaceX AI Pivot
SpaceX has shifted its business model toward AI, securing $40 billion in financing for Nvidia GPUs and naming Anthropic as its largest customer.
Nvidia Inc. has disclosed an $18 billion stake in Space Exploration Technologies Corp., holding approximately 122.8 million shares. The investment follows the integration of XAI—now renamed XSI (Super Intelligence)—into SpaceX. This strategic pivot toward artificial intelligence has already yielded results, with the super intelligence segment generating $7.56 billion in third-quarter sales, representing over half of the company's total $14.6 billion revenue.
To support massive data center initiatives, SpaceX secured $40 billion in debt financing to purchase Nvidia graphics processing units, with deliveries scheduled for the first half of 2027. CEO Elon Musk announced that SpaceX data centers will exclusively use Nvidia processors, establishing the company as one of Nvidia's largest customers.
SpaceX has also emerged as a critical infrastructure provider for other AI firms. Anthropic has become the company's largest customer, accounting for 34.5% of third-quarter revenue and surpassing the US government. Anthropic rents computing power from SpaceX data centers in Memphis, Tennessee, with potential spending reaching $120.5 billion through 2029. Google also rents computing power for approximately $920 million monthly. While SpaceX's overall revenue rose 161% last quarter and its AI unit achieved profitability, the company faces risk as Anthropic maintains the right to cancel its contract with 90 days' notice after early 2027.
