OpenAI and AMD just raised the stakes in the AI chip race

Author

Noel Moldvai
October 09, 2025

TL;DR. AI chip wars heat up as OpenAI locks in a multibillion-dollar deal with AMD for compute power in its race against Nvidia. Anthropic’s Claude announces a major IBM partnership that embeds the model across it’s enterprise software tools. Meanwhile, a16z reveals which AI tools 200,000 startups are actually spending money on, offering a real-world look at the emerging enterprise AI stack.

OpenAI and AMD partner in multibillion-dollar chip deal to take on Nvidia

AMD has signed a multi-year agreement to deliver 6 gigawatts of compute to OpenAI, powering the AI leader’s infrastructure push. The deal could net AMD tens of billions and includes equity incentives for OpenAI tied to AMD’s stock performance. It’s the latest in OpenAI’s effort to secure chip supply as it scales out Stargate and other global data center projects.

IBM partners with Anthropic to integrate Claude AI into enterprise software

IBM is embedding Anthropic’s Claude models into its enterprise tools, starting with a select rollout in its development environment. The two companies also released a joint best-practices guide for AI agent deployment. This partnership strengthens Anthropic’s enterprise presence and signals IBM’s deeper shift toward high-trust, safe AI systems.

The a16z report that reveals where startups are actually spending money on AI

a16z partnered with Mercury, the popular banking platform for startups, to analyze spending data from 200,000 companies. The result is a list of the 50 most-used AI apps by startups. The report uncovers a clear shift from infrastructure to AI-native workflows, spotlighting tools that are redefining how startups build and operate.

Why companies like OpenAI are staying private longer

Going public means playing the short game. But the biggest names in tech such as Stripe, SpaceX, and OpenAI, are choosing to stay private so they can think in decades, not quarters. Musk says it best: "For long-term optimization, it is better to be a private than a public company."

Quick Takes

The battle over SPVs in private markets

OpenAI and Anthropic have made headlines for tightening rules around SPV participation, but these moves are more about control and compliance than a shift in the market. Most high-growth companies continue to rely on SPVs as a flexible way to raise capital and expand access. This Augment blog explains why SPVs remain a key tool for investors in late-stage private markets.

Cheerio! Until next week.
-Noel