Who gets a share of AI wealth? Anthropic and Musk have different answers

Anthropic, the company behind the Claude family of AI models, said on Sunday that it would commit 5 per cent of its shares to a new Public Benefit Fund. Musk, meanwhile, pledged on Monday to give one SpaceX share to every child in America next year.

The proposals come as AI companies attract huge investments and expand their businesses, while concerns grow over the technology’s impact on jobs, safety and society.

The difference lies in how the two plans would work. Anthropic’s fund could finance charitable initiatives and potentially make direct payments to selected groups. Musk has said that giving shares directly to people is a better way to let the public participate in the future economy.

Anthropic’s fund could be worth billions

Anthropic’s proposed fund could be worth tens of billions of dollars, depending on the company’s valuation.

The AI firm is preparing for a potential initial public offering (IPO) that could value it at around $2 trillion. Reuters reported last week that some investors were also considering a lower valuation of about $1.5 trillion.

At those valuations, a 5 per cent stake would be worth between $75 billion and $100 billion. These are estimates based on potential valuations, not cash that Anthropic has already raised for the fund.

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The company said the fund would be established as a wholly owned limited liability company, giving it flexibility to support different public-benefit initiatives. These could include large donations to non-profit organisations or direct distributions to specific groups of people.

One area of focus could be the labour market. Anthropic has warned that AI could create enormous economic value but also disrupt jobs and cause instability for workers.

The company has already committed $200 million to studying and addressing the effects of AI on employment. It said the new fund could allow it to take further steps as the technology develops.

Anthropic also plans to give the fund the option of receiving more shares as the company grows. Its board could allocate an additional 2 per cent of the company’s shares for every 50 per cent increase in its value above a baseline that has yet to be disclosed.

The company said the fund would not use its Anthropic shares for lobbying or political donations in the United States or abroad.

The new commitment builds on earlier pledges by Anthropic’s founders and employees. The co-founders had pledged to donate 80 per cent of their equity holdings, while an employee donation-matching programme allows workers to pledge shares that the company matches.

Anthropic said roughly 20 per cent of its shares would be dedicated to public-benefit purposes when these commitments are combined, excluding any additional shares that may later go to the fund.

The company has yet to disclose the fund’s full governance structure and the valuation thresholds that could increase its stake.

Musk plans to give SpaceX shares to children

Musk said on Monday that he would give one SpaceX share to every child in America next year, describing the move as the first of several such efforts.

Based on US Census figures showing about 72 million children in the country, the proposed distribution could be worth roughly $11 billion at current share prices.

Musk did not provide details on how the shares would be distributed, which children would qualify or whether recipients would face restrictions on selling them.

SpaceX also did not immediately clarify whether the proposed giveaway would be linked to Trump Accounts, a US government-backed investment programme for children.

Launched by the White House, Trump Accounts provide a government-funded $1,000 investment account for eligible US citizens born between 2025 and 2028. Families can add money to the accounts as the children grow up.

The programme also allows companies and individuals to contribute to the accounts. Dell, Visa, Micron and Delta Air Lines are among the companies that have pledged additional funding or employer contributions.

US President Donald Trump welcomed Musk’s announcement, thanking him on Truth Social for giving SpaceX stock to millions of American children through the programme.

Unlike a cash donation, the value of Musk’s proposed contribution would depend on SpaceX’s share price. Recipients could benefit if the stock rises, but the value of their holdings could also fall.

Musk has argued that direct share ownership would allow people to benefit from the growth of companies shaping the future economy.

Why AI companies are under pressure to share wealth

The announcements come as AI’s rapid growth brings both financial opportunities and concerns about its wider effects.

Businesses are adopting AI tools to improve productivity and reduce costs. Some companies, particularly in the technology sector, have announced job cuts while pointing to efficiency gains from the technology.

Anthropic has also warned that advanced AI could pose catastrophic or existential risks to humanity. Its proposed fund could support initiatives addressing some of these concerns, including the effects of automation on workers.

The wider question is whether the gains from AI will remain concentrated among companies, founders and investors or reach a larger share of society.

Anthropic’s approach would direct part of its ownership towards a fund that can finance public-benefit projects. Musk’s proposal would give children a direct financial stake in SpaceX, exposing the value of their holdings to the company’s future performance.

Neither initiative has yet provided all the details needed to assess how much the public will ultimately receive or how the benefits will be distributed.

Anthropic still needs to explain the fund’s governance and how its additional share commitments will work. Musk has not outlined the mechanics of his proposed giveaway.