Anthropic said on October 18 that it plans to commit 5% of its shares to a new public-benefit fund, with the stake potentially growing as the company’s value rises and the fund supporting public-interest work.
The proposal, which still requires stockholder approval, would place the shares in a wholly owned limited liability company called the Anthropic Public Benefit Fund. At the board’s discretion, the fund could receive another 2% of the company’s shares for each 50% increase in Anthropic’s value above a baseline that has not yet been disclosed. Anthropic says the fund could make large donations to nonprofits or direct payments to particular groups, giving it options beyond the company’s existing work within its business.
One example it cited is responding to AI’s effects on workers; Anthropic says it has already committed $200 million to studying and addressing those effects. The company says the fund’s shares would not be used for lobbying or political contributions in the United States or abroad. Counting this pledge alongside founders’ and employees’ existing equity commitments, Anthropic estimates that roughly 20% of its shares would be dedicated to public purposes, before any future additions.
It says it will provide more information on the fund’s governance and valuation milestones in coming months.