The key facts

  • Anthropic will allocate 5% of its shares to the Public Benefit Fund; another 2% may be added by the board of directors for every 50% increase in the company's valuation
  • The fund will operate as an LLC and will be able to make donations to non-profit organizations or directly support specific groups of people
  • The announcement coincided with preparations for a possible IPO with a valuation of more than $1 trillion; Elon Musk criticized the initiative

New fund and share allocation terms

Anthropic announced on Sunday, October 18, the creation of the Anthropic Public Benefit Fund, into which it plans to allocate 5% of its shares. The initial commitment requires shareholder approval. The board of directors will be able to allocate an additional 2% of shares for every 50% increase in the company's value relative to a predetermined baseline. According to Anadolu, taking into account new and previous commitments, about 20% of Anthropic's shares will ultimately go toward public benefit initiatives.

Fund structure and goals

The fund will operate as a wholly owned LLC, which, according to Anthropic, will provide flexibility in distributing funds — through large donations to traditional non-profit organizations or direct payments to specific groups of people. The fund will focus on the broad societal impacts of AI, including possible labor market disruptions: the company has already allocated $200 million to research and address this issue. In its statement, Anthropic noted: 'Given the pace of AI progress, bolder approaches may be needed. The fund will have the flexibility to implement them.' The company promises to disclose details of the fund's structure and governance in the coming months.

IPO context and financial figures

According to the BBC, the announcement was made against the backdrop of Anthropic's preparations for a possible share offering, which could value the company at more than $1 trillion (£750 billion). The company reportedly stated in its IPO filing that AI could pose 'catastrophic or existential risks to humanity.' Last week, Anthropic told potential investors that its revenue for the three months to the end of September grew 45% to $16.8 billion (£12.6 billion). The BBC also notes that the fund will not use its shares for lobbying or political donations in the US or abroad.

Reaction and industry backdrop

Elon Musk commented on the announcement on social media: 'I recommend giving shares directly to the public. That is exactly what I will do.' Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei previously described negative public opinion about the AI industry as 'fundamentally a crisis of trust.' The BBC recalls that companies around the world, mostly tech companies, have cut thousands of jobs after investing in AI, and a 2024 IMF study suggested that AI will affect nearly 40% of jobs worldwide and up to 60% in advanced economies. In September, Jacob Cockx, a researcher who left Anthropic, told the BBC that those working on AI are 'genuinely frightened' by the speed of its development. Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump and executives of major AI companies signed a 'morally binding' document on responsibility for the safety of the technology; Trump also appointed Director of National Intelligence Jay Clayton to head a new AI task force.