New Delhi: Elon Musk pledged on Monday to give every child in the United States one SpaceX share in 2027, without explaining how the stock would be distributed. His announcement followed artificial intelligence company Anthropic’s plan to commit 5 per cent of its shares to a new public-benefit fund, highlighting contrasting approaches to distributing corporate wealth.
In an X post on Monday, Musk wrote: “Next year, I will give one of my SpaceX shares to every kid in America. This will be the first of many.”
Musk’s proposal would transfer company ownership directly to individuals, unlike Anthropic’s initiative, which would use shares held by a dedicated fund to finance public-benefit activities. However, neither announcement represents a completed distribution.
Musk questions Anthropic’s approach to share distribution
Earlier, Musk disagreed with the approach adopted by Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei’s company to channel shares through a public benefit fund rather than distribute them directly to individuals. Responding to Anthropic’s announcement on X, Musk wrote: “I recommend giving the shares directly to the public.”
In a subsequent post, he added: “This is what I will be doing.”
The exchange, on Monday, highlighted the difference between distributing equity directly to individuals and retaining it within a fund dedicated to public welfare. Musk’s comments focused on the proposed distribution mechanism rather than rejecting the broader objective of public benefit.
SpaceX, which made its Wall Street debut in June, is scheduled to report its quarterly earnings on Tuesday. The company’s stock-market listing made Musk the world’s first trillionaire, according to wealth estimates, AP reported. Its shares closed at $146.03 on Friday, although they have fallen substantially from their post-listing peak.
With approximately 73 million children under 18 in the United States, distributing one share to each would represent an estimated market value of $10.66 billion, based on Friday’s closing price. The calculation does not represent confirmed cash expenditure or guaranteed financial benefit.
Musk has not clarified whether his pledge covers all children living in America or only US citizens, nor explained how minors would receive or hold the shares.
Anthropic outlines public-benefit fund and equity commitments
Anthropic announced on Sunday that its public benefit fund would initially receive 5 per cent of the company’s shares, subject to shareholder approval. Its board may allocate an additional two percentage points for every 50 per cent increase in the company’s value above a specified baseline.
Anthropic’s chief executive, Dario Amodei, and five other co-founders established the company as a public benefit corporation, allowing it to pursue social objectives alongside commercial returns. The company is preparing for a potential initial public offering (IPO) as early as November, having submitted a confidential filing with the US securities and exchange commission in June. The value of shares allocated to its proposed public-benefit fund could rise or fall with the company’s market valuation.
The fund, structured as a wholly owned limited liability company, could support non-profit organizations or make direct distributions to selected populations. Anthropic identified potential disruption to employment caused by AI as one area of concern, saying it had already committed $200 million to studying and addressing the issue.
The company also said the equity held by the fund would not be used for political donations or lobbying.
In its announcement, Anthropic highlighted existing commitments from its founders and employees.
“Our co-founders have already pledged to donate 80 per cent of their equity, and around half our employees are donating a portion of their equity as part of a donation matching program we’ve run since our founding,” the company said on X.
Together with the new initiative, Anthropic estimates that approximately 20 per cent of its shares will be dedicated to public-benefit purposes, with the possibility of additional allocations linked to future valuation milestones. The company said it would disclose further information about the fund’s governance in the coming months.
The announcements come amid growing public concern over the pace of AI development. An Associated Press-NORC Center for Public Affairs research survey found that 64 per cent of American adults believed AI was developing too quickly, compared with 27 per cent who considered its pace appropriate and 8 per cent who believed it was moving too slowly.
While Anthropic has outlined its proposed fund structure and potential beneficiaries, Musk has yet to explain how his promised distribution of SpaceX shares would operate, who would qualify or when the transfers would begin.