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AI firm Anthropic to commit 5% of shares to fund for ‘public good’

Anthropic has said it will commit 5% of its shares to a fund for the “public good”, as the AI developer behind the Claude chatbot seeks to bolster its appeal before its stock market listing. The company announced it would commit the shares, worth around $48bn (£36bn) at its latest valuation in May, subject to shareholder approval. It will add a further 2% of its stock to the fund for every 50% increase in its value above an undisclosed baseline. The fund will allow Anthropic to “explore large donations to tradit…

By the Truvace desk2 min read1 sourceJournalismTRV-2026-1907· cite & verify
AI firm Anthropic to commit 5% of shares to fund for ‘public good’

In brief

Anthropic announced a plan to commit 5% of its shares to a public-good fund, with more stock added as the company's value rises above an undisclosed baseline. The pledge needs shareholder approval and comes as the company prepares for a stock market listing planned for November.

The pledge is a response to public anxiety about AI's effect on jobs, the environment and social behaviour, and it prompted a rival pledge from Elon Musk. How the fund will actually be spent, and how much it will deliver, has not been settled in the reported plans.

Main points

  1. The initial commitment is 5% of shares, worth around $48bn at the company's May valuation.
  2. A further 2% of stock would be added for every 50% rise in value above an undisclosed baseline.
  3. Anthropic cites worker instability from AI and says it has already committed $200m to the issue.
  4. Anthropic is a public benefit corporation whose directors must balance financial returns with a public interest mission.

The gain

Anthropic plans to place 5% of its shares, about $48bn at its May valuation, into a fund that could finance nonprofit donations or direct payments to specific populations, subject to shareholder approval.

The rundown

Anthropic was valued at $965bn in May after raising $65bn, and is reportedly considering a $1.5tn valuation at its IPO. The fund is described as able to pursue bolder approaches than the $200m already committed to addressing worker disruption.

Elon Musk responded by recommending that shares go directly to the public and said he would give one SpaceX share to every kid in America next year. OpenAI has reportedly held early talks about giving a 5% stake to the US government.

The article also reports Anthropic's warning that some AI models could soon become self-replicating and spread to internet-connected devices such as smart fridges, and notes that the company has called for a slowdown in AI development.

Sources

  1. JournalismThe Guardian2026-10-19

The debate