Anthropic has signed its first Australian data center agreement at Western Downs Digital Park.

Two people familiar with the deal say AI giant Anthropic has signed its first data centre lease agreement in Australia, capitalising on a favourable political environment and abundant renewable resources to secure capacity at what would be one of the world’s largest computing facilities. The lease covers a data centre campus with planned capacity totalling 2.16 gigawatts, one of the people said, placing it on par with some of the largest centres currently operating worldwide.

Located on farmland approximately 250 km from Brisbane, the proposed facility is scheduled to begin coming online in 2027. The agreement marks the latest move by a major AI firm to establish a foothold in Australia, following an offtake agreement OpenAI struck for a Sydney data centre last year. Companies are increasingly racing to lock in power and land in a country pitched as a low-cost, renewable-energy-rich alternative to more congested markets in the United States and Asia.

The development comes amid broader industry debates on AI safety. Last week, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei called on AI companies to slow the pace of model capability advancements amid mounting concerns over potential misuse. His stance was endorsed by rival xAI founder Elon Musk and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Conversely, US President Donald Trump dismissed critics of AI as “very negative forces” who were raising scenarios that would never materialise.

Domestically, the Australian government has responded to community pushback regarding land, water, and electricity consumption by promising to implement restrictions on data centre resource use starting in 2027. Despite these forthcoming limits, officials continue to court a massive investment wave that economists project could reach $150 billion across Australia by 2030.

According to sources who declined to be named due to authorisation restrictions, Anthropic’s lease pertains to a facility planned by Singapore-based developer Zerra DC. The developer will secure renewable power purchase agreements and absorb grid connection costs without imposing financial burdens on existing customers. Both Anthropic and Zerra DC declined to comment on the matter.

The facility will be dedicated to inference—rapid, prediction-based processing—rather than model training, one source noted. This aligns with Australia’s new AI regulations, which will impose limits on the use of domestically produced content for training purposes. Additionally, the site will utilise a closed-loop, air-cooled system designed to minimise clean water consumption during server heat dissipation. The transaction remains subject to approval by the Foreign Investment Review Board.

Queensland Premier David Crisafulli confirmed the agreement’s details in state parliament, noting the government’s role in promoting the state as a host destination. “Earlier today Anthropic signed an historic agreement for their first Australian data centre,” he said. “Queensland will be home to the Western Downs Digital Park - a long-term commitment to our state with the site planned to come online in 2027.”

Crisafulli added, “I met with Anthropic during my recent trade mission to outline why Queensland was the place to invest, with energy security and a streamlined approvals process. To have secured Anthropic’s first major investment in Australia is a massive show of confidence in Queensland.”

Real estate asset manager Dexus also verified the deal in an ASX statement, confirming its stake in Australian Data Centres (ADC). ADC, in turn, holds an interest in the consortium comprising Zerra DC and Macquarie Capital, which is developing the Western Downs Digital Park. “The consortium has entered into lease documentation with the Australian subsidiary of Anthropic for the delivery of the first stage of the campus, subject to customary approvals,” Dexus stated.

Additional reporting by iTnews.