Anthropic, the company behind the Claude chatbot, says it will set aside 5% of its shares for a new fund meant to support the “public good.” The plan was announced in a statement on Sunday, just as the artificial intelligence firm prepares for a stock market listing that could value it at more than one trillion US dollars.
The Anthropic Public Benefit Fund could later receive another 2% of the company’s shares if the board decides so. According to the company, the money could flow to nonprofit organisations and to projects that deal with the effects of AI on the jobs market. Anthropic also promised that none of the fund’s shares would be used for lobbying or political donations, either in the United States or abroad.
The timing is no accident. AI firms are under growing pressure over safety and over what their products mean for workers and society. Anthropic itself reportedly warned in its listing documents that AI could pose “catastrophic or existential risks to humanity.” Many companies have cut thousands of jobs after adopting AI tools, and research from the International Monetary Fund in 2024 suggested that almost 40% of jobs worldwide, and as many as 60% in advanced economies, will be affected by the technology.
Business is booming at the same time. Last week Anthropic told potential investors that its revenue grew by 45% to 16.8 billion dollars in the three months to the end of September, while it continues to spend billions on models and computing power.
Not everyone was impressed. Elon Musk replied on social media that he would recommend “giving the shares directly to the public,” adding that this is what he plans to do himself. Whether a share-funded charity can really soften the impact of AI on everyday jobs will only become clear once the listing happens and the fund starts handing out money.
