One of Anthropic's biggest customers has switched its default to OpenAI. Replit CEO Amjad Masad said onstage at TechCrunch Disrupt on Thursday, Oct. 15, 2026, that the AI coding platform is no longer working with Anthropic, TechCrunch reported.
"I think ChatGPT is better now," Masad said. "It was a decision based on both cost, partnership, and performance."
The walk-back
After the event, Masad clarified that customers can still pick Anthropic's Claude models, but ChatGPT is now the default for Replit Agent.
"Replit remains model agnostic," he told TechCrunch. "OpenAI is now our preferred partner for powering Replit Agent, based on performance, economics, and the strength of our partnership."
On X on Saturday, Oct. 17, he added that "OpenAI models are generally more affordable," WebProNews reported.
Why it matters
- Replit had been, until recently, a top-five Anthropic customer, Masad said onstage.
- Most users stick with the default model, so the switch could significantly reduce Replit's spending with Anthropic, TechCrunch reported.
- A person familiar with the partnership told TechCrunch it is still in place, rejecting Masad's onstage comments.
Replit announced its OpenAI partnership in August. Its Oct. 2 changelog still added models from both companies, WebProNews noted. Related: Anthropic's Jack Clark on AI and GDP.