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GCP Gains Enterprise Ground and Credibility with Google’s Anthropic Partnership
Recent announcement of a major cloud deal between Google and Anthropic made headlines for its AI implications, but there’s a bigger story here for enterprise IT buyers. It signals how far Google Cloud Platform (GCP) has come in its evolution from challenger to contender.
For years, GCP was the “third option” in the hyperscaler market, a technically viable platform with strong AI credentials but limited enterprise traction compared to AWS and Microsoft. That dynamic is changing quickly.
GCP Steps into Enterprise Cloud Prime Time
Anthropic’s multibillion-dollar expansion on Google Cloud, anchored by access to a million Tensor Processing Units (TPUs) and more than a gigawatt of compute power, confirms that GCP can deliver at scale. It is the kind of deal that used to belong exclusively to AWS or Azure.
From NPI’s vantage point advising Fortune 500 clients, we’re seeing GCP gain credibility across industries. Enterprise buyers are taking a second look, and in many cases, they’re finding Google to be a more flexible and negotiable partner than its competitors.
Negotiating with a Hungry Provider
One reason GCP is gaining ground is that it is still hungry for enterprise wins. That hunger translates into negotiation flexibility and meaningful opportunity for sourcing teams that know how to use it.
Here’s what we’re seeing:
- Service-specific discounts: GCP is often open to aggressive discounts by service or even by individual SKU, not just broad commitments.
- Bundling opportunities: Many of Google’s first-party products such as Workspace, Apigee, Unified Security, and Looker can contribute to or offset committed cloud spend.
- Credits and funding programs: Google frequently offers credits and investment funds tied to customer needs, such as training, implementation, partner services, or milestone-based incentives.
To make the most of these levers, procurement teams need detailed visibility into forecasted spend by service category. That is the same playbook used with AWS and Azure, but GCP’s negotiability makes the payoff potentially greater.
The Appeal of Diversification
Cloud diversification is becoming a strategic imperative. Companies want to avoid overexposure to a single provider (a headline-making AWS outage is on no one’s wish list!), and GCP’s growing maturity gives them a legitimate path to do it. Even if Google’s list prices are in line with AWS or Azure, its willingness to negotiate on structure, incentives, and credits makes it a viable competitive option.
Enterprises also value the chance to align with a provider that is advancing rapidly in areas like AI, analytics, and data security. GCP’s pace of innovation, and now its ability to secure and deliver on mega-scale enterprise contracts, positions it as a more balanced and stable choice than it once was.
What This Means for IT Procurement Leaders
For sourcing teams, the message is clear: GCP deserves a seat at the table in your next cloud negotiation. Including Google in competitive scenarios can yield leverage with all three hyperscalers.
At NPI, we are seeing real traction across our client base. Google’s offerings are more mature, its pricing models are more flexible, and its enterprise incentives are more creative. For buyers, that adds up to new leverage in a market that has long been dominated by two players.
If you are exploring opportunities to optimize your cloud strategy or want to evaluate how GCP fits into your broader mix, NPI can help. Contact us.
