Anthropic’s plan to allocate at least 5% of its shares to a new “public benefit fund” has sparked mixed reactions among technology industry leaders.

Announced on October 18, the plan involves an initial allocation of 5% of the company’s shares, subject to stockholder approval. The board may, at its discretion, allocate an additional 2% for every 50% increase in the company’s value above a specified baseline.

Anthropic PBC said the Anthropic Public Benefit Fund would be structured as a wholly owned limited liability company (LLC), giving it greater flexibility to pursue its mission.

The fund could support large donations to traditional nonprofits or make direct distributions to specific populations, including people affected by AI-driven labour-market disruption. Anthropic also said none of the equity held by the LLC would be used for lobbying or political contributions in the US or abroad.

The company said that, combined with earlier commitments by its founders and employees, roughly 20% of Anthropic’s shares would be dedicated to public benefit, with the possibility of further allocations as its valuation increases.

The announcement has drawn praise from some industry figures. Brad Gerstner, CEO of Altimeter Capital, called the commitment an “extraordinary gift” but said he hoped a meaningful portion of AI-generated wealth would be distributed directly to the public.

I commend Anthropic on their philanthropic commitments in lieu of a founder equity IPO grant. It is an extraordinary gift – but also understand concerns about foundation wealth concentration. Like Elon – I hope a meaningful portion of AI’s wealth is a direct dividend. 🇺🇸🤍🚀@InvestAmerica24 @TrumpAccounts

— Brad Gerstner (@altcap) October 18, 2026

AI analyst Andrew Curran suggested that the fund’s provision for direct distributions under Anthropic Public Benefit Corporation commitment to specific populations could evolve into a form of global universal basic income (UBI).

Meanwhile, Jason D Clinton, Anthropic’s Deputy Chief Information Security Officer, said the company’s equity-donation programme was the principal reason he left Google to join Anthropic, describing it as evidence of the company’s commitment to its mission.

Brandon and I pledged 50% of our equity. This was the principal reason that I left Google for Anthropic. The existence of this kind of program was a costly signal that Anthropic wasn’t just talk, at a time when Anthropic didn’t even have a released model. Fund a bright future!

— Jason D. Clinton 🔸 (@JasonDClinton) October 18, 2026

However, other technology figures have questioned whether the fund’s structure gives the public sufficient control over the benefits. SpaceX CEO Elon Musk recommended giving the shares directly to the public. Meanwhile, Palmer Luckey, co-founder of defence technology company Anduril Industries, criticized Anthropic’s definition of “public good”, arguing that it should prioritize Americans.

@elonmusk @AnthropicAI The problem is that their definition of “public good” is helping everyone else, not the American public.

If they would commit to helping America and Americans, that would be one thing, but this reeks of USAID 2.0, just another way to funnel billions out of our own economy. https://t.co/KUztoBiNiA

— Palmer Luckey (@PalmerLuckey) October 18, 2026

David Sacks, the chair of the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, also questioned whether placing shares in a wholly owned LLC would necessarily serve the public good. “You’ve put 20% of your equity in an LLC. Whether it serves the public good remains to be seen,” he wrote.

Professor at NYU (New York University) Gary Marcus agreed with Sacks, accusing Anthropic of “playing games” and trying to “curry public favor” while retaining control and resisting disclosure. He described the approach as annoying and said it “reeks of desperation”.

Sacks is right. Anthropic is playing games here.

Trying to curry public favor while still holding control and resisting disclosure is annoying.

And reeks of desperation.

— Gary Marcus (@GaryMarcus) October 19, 2026

Based on Anthropic’s reported May 2026 valuation, the 5% stake pledged to the public-benefit fund would be worth approximately $48 billion.

The debate comes as Anthropic prepares to enter the public markets. While OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has ruled out a 2026 IPO, citing AI safety concerns, Anthropic is moving ahead with its public-benefit fund and expanded independent AI evaluations and granted six METR employees “employee-like access” to its internal tools and systems to assess AI risks. Are these moves part of the company’s preparations for a potential $2 trillion IPO?

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