Anthropic Pledges 5% of Shares to Public Benefit Fund

Anthropic announced on Sunday that it will commit at least 5% of its shares to a new public benefit fund. The fund aims to address the impacts of artificial intelligence on society, including potential labor market disruption.

The fund will be set up as a wholly owned limited liability company rather than a traditional nonprofit. This structure will allow flexibility between different forms of giving, such as large donations to nonprofits or direct distributions to specific populations.

“AI may generate enormous economic value, but it could also cause instability for many workers.”

An additional 2% of shares may be added at the board's discretion every time the company's value increases 50% above a set baseline. In total, roughly 20% of Anthropic's shares will be dedicated to public-benefit causes.

None of the equity held by the fund will be used for political donations or lobbying in the United States or abroad. The company has not yet shared details on the fund's full governance structure or eligible nonprofits.

The announcement comes as Anthropic prepares for a potentially record-breaking initial public offering as soon as November. Social media reaction to the pledge has been largely skeptical.