Anthropic plans fund worth 5% of shares for public good
Anthropic says it will place 5% of its shares in a fund intended to support the public good, including nonprofit organisations and work addressing AI’s effects on employment. The proposal comes as the company prepares for a possible stock market listing that could value it at more than $1tn, amid scrutiny of AI’s risks and wider social impact.
The fund could receive a further 2% of Anthropic’s shares if its board decides. Anthropic said the shares would not fund lobbying or political donations. The company has warned investors that AI could pose catastrophic or existential risks; its revenue rose 45% to $16.8bn in the three months to the end of September, while IMF research estimated that AI could affect nearly 40% of jobs worldwide.
- Anthropic plans to put 5% of its shares into a public benefit fund.
- The fund could receive another 2% with board approval.
- The company is preparing for a potential listing valued above $1tn.
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Anthropic is an artificial intelligence company best known for developing Claude, a chatbot and other AI tools. It was founded by former employees of OpenAI and is one of several firms competing to build increasingly capable AI systems.
AI companies have drawn attention both for their rapid growth and for concerns about how their technology could affect jobs, safety and society. Anthropic’s proposal links a portion of its ownership to public-benefit work, including support for charities and research into employment changes.
A stock market listing would allow shares in a company to be bought and sold publicly. If Anthropic lists, the value of its shares and the proposed fund could depend on how investors value the business.
Both sides, in good faith
The strongest fair case each way — we don't pick a winner.
The case for
Setting aside a portion of its shares for public benefit could give nonprofits and workers facing disruption a meaningful stake in the gains from AI. A fund focused on employment effects and other social needs may help address harms that public policy and existing support systems struggle to keep pace with, while the exclusion of lobbying and political donations could help preserve its charitable purpose.
The case against
A company-created fund may give Anthropic substantial influence over which public needs receive support, without the accountability or broad mandate of public institutions. The commitment is also partly discretionary, since the additional shares depend on a board decision, and critics could argue that a philanthropic pledge does not replace stronger safeguards or public policy as AI expands.
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Originally published by BBC Technology as “Anthropic says it will commit 5% of its shares to ‘public benefit fund’”.