SpaceX Acquires Cursor: Will OpenAI and Anthropic Stay?
Original: Can Cursor Remain a Platform for OpenAI and Anthropic’s Models Inside SpaceX?
Why This Matters
The deal tests whether AI platforms can remain model-agnostic as lab rivalries intensify across the industry.
SpaceX agreed to acquire AI coding startup Cursor for $60 billion. Post-acquisition, Cursor hopes to keep offering third-party models from OpenAI and Anthropic, but the deal's competitive dynamics raise serious questions about whether rival AI labs will continue the relationship.
SpaceX announced last month a $60 billion agreement to acquire Cursor, one of the most popular AI coding tools on the market. The deal, pending regulatory approval, will give SpaceX access to Cursor's customer contracts, assets, and intellectual property. Cursor has historically operated as an open platform, allowing users to select AI models from Anthropic, OpenAI, and others — both of which count Cursor among their largest customers and feature it prominently in their marketing.
According to people close to Cursor, the company hopes to continue serving third-party models alongside its own post-acquisition. However, that vision faces significant friction. OpenAI's Codex and Anthropic's Claude Code now compete directly with Cursor, and SpaceX itself is a rival to both labs in the frontier AI space. Once the deal closes, OpenAI and Anthropic would effectively be doing business with Elon Musk to reach Cursor's user base.
Eno Reyes, CTO of competing startup Factory, noted the situation is ambiguous: 'I don't know if the decision is as black and white. It's actually super unclear to us.' Cursor, Anthropic, OpenAI, and SpaceX all declined or did not respond to requests for comment.