In brief
Anthropic has pledged 5 % of its shares to a public benefit fund that will support public good projects and help tackle AI’s job‑market effects. The announcement comes as the company prepares for a possible IPO that could value it at over $1 trillion, amid heightened scrutiny of AI safety and societal impact. In its IPO filing, Anthropic warned that artificial intelligence could pose catastrophic risks to humanity. The fund will be limited to nonprofit support and is prohibited from lobbying or political donations. Tech billionaire Elon Musk welcomed the move, saying he would give the shares directly to the public.
Anthropic has pledged 5 % of its shares to a public benefit fund that will support public good projects and help tackle AI’s job‑market effects.
The move comes as the company prepares for a possible IPO that could value it at over $1 trillion, amid heightened scrutiny of AI safety and societal impact.
In its IPO filing, Anthropic warned that artificial intelligence could pose catastrophic risks to humanity. The fund will only support non‑profit work and will not be used for lobbying or political donations in the US or abroad.
The company also said it could receive an extra 2 % of shares – at the board’s discretion – to add to the fund’s capital.
Tech billionaire Elon Musk chimed in on social media, telling followers that he would “directly give the shares to the public” and that this was his own plan.
Last month, Anthropic reported a 45 % rise in revenue to $16.8 billion in the three months to the end of September, reinforcing its high‑growth profile even as AI companies grapple with hiring shifts and heavy research spend.
Research from the International Monetary Fund suggests that nearly 40 % of global jobs could be affected by AI — a figure that could climb to 60 % in advanced economies — highlighting the urgency of the fund’s mission.
