Artificial intelligence company Anthropic, the developer of Claude, says it will commit 5% of its shares to a new Public Benefit Fund to expand its capacity to support initiatives serving the public good.
The company announced on Sunday that the proposed fund would be established as a wholly owned limited liability company. Its board could allocate an additional 2% of Anthropic’s shares to the fund for every 50% increase in the company’s value above a baseline yet to be disclosed.
The move comes as Anthropic prepares for a potential initial public offering (IPO), which could rank among the largest in history. The company operates as a public benefit corporation, a legal structure that requires management to consider broader interests alongside generating profits for investors.
Anthropic has positioned itself as an AI developer focused on safety. In its 261-page prospectus, the company devoted about 80 pages of the main body to risk factors, warning that AI could pose “catastrophic or existential risks to humanity”.
In a blog post, Anthropic said the fund could support non-profit donations, direct distributions to specific populations and initiatives addressing AI’s effects on the labour market.
The company identified the impact of AI on workers as one of the fund’s priorities, building on its previously announced $200 million commitment to study and address labour-market disruption.
Elon Musk, who leads rival AI company xAI, criticised the approach in a post on X, saying he recommended “giving the shares directly to the public.”
The announcement comes as companies worldwide cut thousands of jobs after investing heavily in AI. Many, particularly technology firms, have cited efficiency gains from the rapid adoption of the technology.
International Monetary Fund Managing Director Kristalina Georgieva said last week that IMF research showed about 40% of jobs could be augmented, downgraded or eliminated by AI. She said the figure could reach 60% in advanced economies.
Anthropic said none of the equity held by the fund would be used for lobbying or political donations in the United States or elsewhere.
The announcement comes as US policymakers consider tighter oversight of artificial intelligence and companies in the sector increase efforts to influence how the technology is regulated.
Combined with a pledge by Anthropic’s co-founders to donate 80% of their equity and an employee donation-matching programme, about 20% of the company’s shares will be dedicated to public purposes. That figure excludes any additional shares allocated to the fund in future.
Anthropic said it would provide further details in the coming months on the fund’s governance, structure and the valuation thresholds that could increase its ownership stake.
The company also plans to publish a public-benefit report outlining its progress towards its mission.
Faridah Abdulkadiri
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