Anthropic announced on Sunday its intention to allocate 5% of its shares to a newly created public benefit fund, pending approval from its stockholders. The company also outlined a mechanism that could increase this stake as its valuation rises. Specifically, the fund would receive an additional 2% of Anthropic shares for every 50% increase in the company’s value beyond a yet-to-be-disclosed baseline, subject to the board’s discretion.

The proposed fund is planned to be established as a wholly owned limited liability company. According to Anthropic, the fund’s resources could be directed toward a range of activities, including donations to nonprofit organizations, direct financial support to targeted communities, and initiatives aimed at addressing the impact of artificial intelligence on labor markets.

Anthropic emphasized that the equity held by the public benefit fund will not be used for lobbying efforts or political donations either within the United States or internationally. This move aligns with the company’s broader positioning as a safety-conscious developer of AI technologies.

Anthropic, the developer of the Claude artificial intelligence assistant, is preparing for one of the largest initial public offerings (IPO) in recent history. It is undertaking this process as a public benefit corporation, a legal entity structure that mandates the company’s leadership to take into account certain social and environmental interests alongside generating returns for investors.

The company has repeatedly underscored the potential risks inherent in its AI models and has sought to position itself as a leader in responsible AI development. The establishment of the public benefit fund forms part of this broader approach, aiming to ensure that some portion of the company’s growth benefits the public and addresses societal challenges related to artificial intelligence.