Anthropic says it will commit 5% of its shares to 'public benefit fund'

ByPeter Hoskins Business reporter. 19 October 2026, 03: 41 BST.

Key points

• Last week, Anthropic informed prospective investors that its revenue surged by 45% to $16.8bn (£12.6bn) in the three months to the end of September.
• The announcement comes as Anthropic lays the ground for a potential blockbuster stock market listing that could value the firm at more than $1tn (£750bn).
• Anthropic's Public Benefit Fund could additionally receive another 2% of the firm's shares at its board's discretion, the Claude developer stated in an official note published on Sunday.
• The 27-year-old's former boss, Anthropic head Dario Amodei, had previously pressed AI development to slow down – though some have questioned the motivations behind this.
• Artificial intelligence (AI) giant Anthropic notes it will commit 5% of its shares to a fund that will produce donations for the "public good".

For context, the announcement comes as Anthropic lays the ground for a potential blockbuster stock market listing that could value the firm at more than $1tn (£750bn).

In practice, the AI industry has come under intense scrutiny lately over safety worries and fears regarding its impact on society and the economy. Anthropic reportedly remarked in its initial public offering (IPO) filing that AI could pose "catastrophic or existential risks to humanity".

Anthropic remarked its proposed fund could backing nonprofit organisations, and efforts to address AI's impact on the jobs market.

None of the shares held by the the fund would be applied for lobbying or political donations in the US or overseas, it went on.

Technology billionaire Elon Musk responded to the announcement on social media with: "I recommend giving the shares directly to the public." "This is what I will be doing, " he continued.

In common with other AI firms, it is seeking to position itself as being able to generate massive profits despite spending billions on developing the technology and building infrastructure to power its models.

Firms worldwide, primarily technology firms, have cut thousands of jobs after investing in AI, with numerous pointing to higher efficiencies from its adoption.

Research by the International Monetary Fund (IMF) 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.

In September, a researcher who quit Anthropic remarked residents working on the technology were "genuinely frightened" regarding the speed of its advancements and what it could mean for humanity.

"I believe that if we don't slow down at the current rate of progress, there is a strong chance that we could all die in the immediate future, " he remarked.

Jacob Coxon was speaking to the BBC after his resignation post on the dangers of AI went viral on a backdrop of growing safety reservations concerning the industry.

In practice, the 27-year-old's former boss, Anthropic head Dario Amodei, had previously pressed AI development to slow down – though some have questioned the motivations behind this.

As well as independent monitoring of AI model development, the bosses of two rival AI firms, Sam Altman of OpenAI and Musk, have both remarked they agree with Amodei's proposal for industry-wide deceleration and regulation.

Earlier this month, US President Donald Trump and the heads of major AI firms signed a "morally binding" document, making them responsible for ensuring the safety of their own technology.

Trump has repeatedly rejected the idea of laws to control development of the technology despite a debate regarding the potential risks of AI and what it means for humanity.

Since then, the president has named the director of national intelligence Jay Clayton as the head of a new taskforce on AI which, he remarked, will co-ordinate administration engagement with consumers, firms and "religious organizations".

Taken together, the developments around anthropic says it will commit 5% of its shares to ' public benefit point to a situation that is still moving, and the coming days should bring more clarity.