Anthropic Commits 5% of Shares to Public Benefit Fund Ahead of $2tn IPO

Reviewed byNidhi Govil

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Anthropic announced plans to commit 5% of its shares to a new Public Benefit Fund addressing AI safety and economic concerns. The fund, worth around $48bn at current valuation, could grow with additional 2% stakes for every 50% increase in company value. The move comes as the AI startup prepares for a blockbuster IPO expected this year.

Anthropic Commits 5% of Shares to Address AI Safety and Economic Concerns

Anthropic has announced plans to commit 5% of its shares to a newly established Anthropic Public Benefit Fund, subject to shareholder approval

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. At the company's latest valuation of $965bn, these shares represent approximately $48bn in value

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. The fund will operate as a wholly owned limited-liability company rather than a traditional tax-exempt charity, providing flexibility to pursue different forms of giving

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. This announcement arrives as Anthropic prepares for a blockbuster IPO expected later this year at a valuation around $2tn

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Source: Silicon Republic

Source: Silicon Republic

Growing Stake Tied to Company Valuation Milestones

The public benefit corporation has structured the fund to grow alongside the company's success. Anthropic plans to add a further 2% of stock for every 50% increase in the company's value above an undisclosed baseline

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. This mechanism ensures that as Anthropic expands, a larger share can be dedicated to public good initiatives. The company stated it will share more details about the fund's structure, governance, and specific valuation milestones in the coming months

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. None of the equity held by the fund will be used for lobbying or political giving domestically or internationally

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Addressing AI Job Disruption and Societal Impacts

The fund could explore large donations to traditional nonprofits or direct distributions to specific populations affected by AI job disruption

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. Anthropic highlighted labor market impacts as a key area where bolder approaches may be needed, noting it has already committed $200 million to study the effects of artificial intelligence on employment

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. An August Pew Research Center report found that 71% of adults think AI will lead to fewer jobs in the U.S. over the next two years

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. Research by the International Monetary Fund published in 2024 suggested that almost 40% of jobs worldwide will be affected by AI, with that figure rising as high as 60% in advanced economies

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Source: AIM

Source: AIM

Responding to Growing Public Backlash Over AI Safety

The announcement follows mounting public outcry over AI governance, from job displacement and increased data center construction to existential threats that the technology could run catastrophically out of control

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. Anthropic has warned investors that AI poses an "existential risk to humanity" in securities filings attached to its planned IPO

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. The company highlighted the potential for advanced models to manipulate, blackmail, and exhibit other unpredictable behaviors

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. Lise Buyer, partner at IPO advisory firm Class V Group, noted that the timing is both mandatory for IPO preparation and "beneficial from an image perspective," especially as AI reshapes the jobs market

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Building on Existing Public Benefit Commitments

Founded in 2021 by seven ex-OpenAI staff members, including siblings Dario and Daniela Amodei, Anthropic was established as a public benefit corporation concerned by OpenAI's safety practices and commercial direction

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. The company's directors must balance financial returns for shareholders with its public-interest mission

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. CEO Dario Amodei and the five other cofounders have pledged to donate 80% of their wealth

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. Anthropic also operates an equity donation match program in which about half of the company's employees participate, allowing workers to pledge equity that the company matches

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. Combined with Sunday's announcement, roughly 20% of Anthropic's shares will be dedicated to public good initiatives

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Source: BBC

Source: BBC

Industry Reactions and Comparisons to OpenAI

Elon Musk responded to the announcement on X, posting: "I recommend giving the shares directly to the public"

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. The idea of structures giving the public a bigger financial share of AI benefits has circulated in Silicon Valley for some time. Rival OpenAI discussed similar proposals over the summer to put around 5% of the company in public hands as it faced greater scrutiny from the Trump administration and government controls on advanced model releases

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. Just over a quarter of OpenAI is owned by the non-profit OpenAI Foundation

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Strong Revenue Growth Ahead of Planned IPO

Anthropic told investors its third-quarter revenue stands at $16.8 billion, representing a 45% surge in the three months to the end of September

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. The company is seeking to position itself as capable of generating substantial profits despite spending billions on developing the Claude model and building infrastructure to power its AI systems

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. The IPO is reportedly slated for November

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. Anthropic has also pitched a draft AI safety and security bill to U.S. lawmakers, including enabling courts to block the release of models that possess "dangerous capabilities and insufficient safeguards" in certain extreme circumstances

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. Anthony Cimino, Anthropic's head of federal affairs, noted these proposals remain in draft form with early feedback still being collected from policymakers

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