Artificial intelligence company Anthropic plans to commit 5% of its shares to a new public benefit fund aimed at addressing the social effects of AI. The company announced the plan on Sunday, saying the fund could grow as its valuation rises.
The proposal comes as AI tools spread across industries and raise concerns about jobs, wages and the future of work. Anthropic said it has already committed $200 million to research the effects of artificial intelligence. However, the company believes that faster progress in AI may require larger and more direct efforts.
The new fund will begin with a stake equal to 5% of Anthropic’s shares, subject to shareholder approval. The company’s board could add another 2% for every 50% increase in the company’s value above a starting point. Anthropic has not yet disclosed the baseline valuation that would trigger these increases.
The structure means the fund’s shareholding could rise as Anthropic becomes more valuable. The company said it would provide more information about the valuation milestones and how the fund will be managed in the coming months.
Anthropic said the money could support several types of work. One option is to make large donations to established nonprofit groups. Another is to provide direct payments or other support to specific groups of people.
The fund could also explore new ways to study and respond to the effects of AI on society. The company highlighted the risk that AI systems could disrupt industries and displace workers as technology changes the way businesses operate.
Concern about job losses is already widespread. An August report from the Pew Research Center found that 71% of U.S. adults believed AI would lead to fewer jobs in the country over the following two years.
The finding points to a growing public debate about how the benefits of AI should be shared. While businesses are investing in systems that can perform more tasks, workers and policymakers are asking how people affected by automation will find new opportunities.
Anthropic said its fund could support efforts to help people manage those changes. Possible approaches include studying job displacement, supporting retraining and helping workers move into other forms of employment.
The company plans to establish the fund as a wholly owned limited liability company rather than a tax-exempt nonprofit under section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. tax code. Anthropic said this structure would allow it to consider different forms of giving and adjust its approach as needs change.
The company also said shares held by the fund’s limited liability company would not be used for lobbying or political donations, either in the United States or abroad.
The announcement comes as Anthropic prepares for a reported initial public offering. CNBC reported that the company’s third-quarter revenue reached $16.8 billion ahead of a possible stock market listing expected in November.
Lise Buyer, a partner at IPO advisory firm Class V Group, told CNBC that the timing of the fund announcement could serve both practical and public relations purposes. Companies preparing to go public face greater attention from investors and the public, particularly when their business activities raise major social questions.
Buyer said the plan could be viewed positively if the money helps workers retrain or find new jobs as AI changes the labor market. She also noted that the move could help improve Anthropic’s public image while the technology industry faces growing scrutiny.
Anthropic has not yet provided full details about the fund’s governance or how it will select projects. The company said it would share more information in the coming months and report on the fund’s progress in a future public benefit report.
The plan has also prompted a response from technology entrepreneur Elon Musk. In a reply on X to Anthropic’s announcement, Musk recommended that the company give the shares directly to the public instead of placing them in the proposed fund.
His comment raises a wider question about how companies should distribute some of the value created by AI. Direct share distributions would differ from a fund that uses its holdings to support research, charities or people affected by technological change.
Anthropic’s proposal links its future valuation to a potential source of funding for social programs. If approved, the initial 5% stake could provide resources for projects aimed at understanding and managing AI’s effects, while further increases would depend on the company’s growth.
The full impact will depend on the fund’s final structure, its investment value and the projects it chooses to support. Anthropic has said more details are coming, as debate continues over how the AI industry should respond to the economic changes its technology may bring.
