OpenAI ends Cursor access after $60B SpaceX deal

• OpenAI to revoke Cursor’s AI API use following SpaceX acquisition of parent Anysphere, per Storyboard18
• Anthropic commits to increased support for Cursor, highlighting growing rift in AI developer tools

On August 29, 2026, Storyboard18 reported that OpenAI will terminate Cursor’s direct access to its AI models on November 12, 2026. The move comes after SpaceX’s $60 billion all-stock acquisition of Cursor’s parent company, Anysphere. OpenAI cited its contractual right to end service after a change of control, specifically referencing a lack of trust in Musk-linked entities’ compliance with terms of service, and referencing previous violations by X (formerly Twitter) and xAI, now part of SpaceX.

OpenAI’s official blog confirmed the decision, stating that “as AI capabilities advance, we also have a new level of accountability.” The launch of its Astra model was presented as driving the need for stricter access controls. OpenAI set the cut-off date to allow developers time to transition, but made clear that Cursor will have no access to current or future OpenAI models beyond that point.

Meanwhile, Anthropic took a divergent stance, with co-founder Tom Brown announcing on X that Anthropic will continue supporting Cursor as a “trusted partner.” Anthropic plans to boost compute resources for its Claude models within Cursor, reinforcing its commitment to developers using the platform.

This split deepens fragmentation in the AI tooling and model marketplace. Developers using Cursor will lose access to OpenAI’s models but retain—and now gain further—Anthropic model support. Cursor stated that OpenAI accounted for only 5% of its usage, downplaying the business impact.

The contrasting responses from OpenAI and Anthropic signal increasing market siloing, with access to AI models and developer tools now shaped by strategic alliances, compliance concerns, and competitive moves among leading AI labs and platform owners, according to Storyboard18.