NeuralStackElon Musk and Anthropic have announced plans to distribute parts of their companies’ value to the public as the artificial intelligence industry faces growing questions about its effect on jobs and humanity.
Musk said he would give one SpaceX share to every child in America next year. SpaceX owns xAI, but details about eligibility, distribution and how the giveaway would operate have not been disclosed.
The announcement followed Anthropic’s pledge to commit 5% of its shares to a Public Benefit Fund. The Claude developer said the fund would make donations for the “public good” and could receive another 2% of the company’s shares at the board’s discretion.
Anthropic said shares held by the fund would not be used for lobbying or political donations in the United States or overseas. The move comes as the company prepares for a potential stock-market listing that could value it at more than $1tn.
Anthropic recently told prospective investors that its revenue had risen by 45% to $16.8bn in the three months to the end of September. Like other AI companies, it is seeking to demonstrate that large investments in model development and infrastructure can eventually produce substantial profits.
The companies’ pledges arrive alongside concern about AI’s effects on employment and social stability. Technology firms around the world have cut thousands of jobs after investing in AI, with many citing efficiency gains from adopting the technology.
Why this matters
The proposals offer different approaches to sharing the gains from AI: Anthropic would channel equity through a fund for public-benefit donations, while Musk has described a direct transfer of SpaceX shares to children. Both plans could influence how other AI companies respond to demands that the industry provide wider public benefits.
They also place attention on execution. Anthropic has outlined restrictions on the use of its fund, but Musk has not explained how a share would be delivered to every American child, leaving the practical and financial details unresolved.
The announcements come as researchers and industry leaders debate whether AI development is moving too quickly. A former Anthropic researcher warned that rapid progress could pose an existential danger, while Anthropic’s chief executive has previously called for the pace of development to slow and for stronger oversight.
For now, the pledges combine philanthropy, corporate strategy and a response to mounting anxiety about AI. Their longer-term significance will depend on whether the promised public access becomes an operational reality and whether the funds meaningfully address the social costs associated with the technology.