Musk Pledges SpaceX Shares for Children After Anthropic Unveils Fund
Elon Musk pledged to give every American child one of his SpaceX shares in 2027 after Anthropic announced a public-benefit fund, outlining different approaches to sharing technology wealth more widely.
The Claude developer said on Oct. 18 that it would commit 5% of its shares to the new vehicle, subject to stockholder approval. Musk’s pledge followed on Oct. 19, putting individual ownership alongside Anthropic’s proposal to hold equity in a company-owned fund.
“Next year, I will give one of my SpaceX shares to every kid in America,” Musk wrote on X. “This will be the first of many.” He had earlier responded to Anthropic’s announcement by recommending that shares go directly to the public.
Musk did not explain how the shares would be distributed, what eligibility restrictions might apply or how children would manage their holdings. The announcement remains a pledge rather than a detailed distribution program.
The giveaway would be worth roughly $10.5 billion using about 72 million American children and SpaceX’s Oct. 16 closing price of $146.03. Its eventual value would depend on eligibility and the stock price when shares are transferred. SpaceX traded at $148.06, up 1.39%, on Oct. 19 as of publication.
Anthropic’s proposed fund could grow beyond its initial stake. For every 50% increase in the company’s value above a baseline, its board could allocate another 2% of shares. The baseline and further governance details will be disclosed in coming months, the company said.
The fund will be a wholly owned limited liability company rather than a tax-exempt charity, allowing flexibility over how it provides support. Anthropic said possible uses include nonprofit donations and direct distributions to selected populations, citing potential disruption to workers from AI.
That leaves an important distinction between the proposals: Musk envisages transferring ownership to individuals, while Anthropic would retain shares within a vehicle that decides how benefits reach recipients. Anthropic’s approach nevertheless leaves room for direct payments.
The company has already committed $200 million to a separate Economic Futures Research Fund. Its July research agenda includes income support for displaced workers, retraining and ways to give workers a financial stake in AI-driven growth. Proposed studies include equity-sharing arrangements and mechanisms through which communities could receive ongoing returns from AI infrastructure.
That agenda acknowledges uncertainty over both the speed of AI adoption and how its gains will be distributed. Anthropic said mechanisms such as public ownership stakes and AI-sector dividends have limited evidence at scale and require funding sources.
Including earlier founder and employee commitments, roughly 20% of Anthropic’s shares would be dedicated to public benefit, the company said. That total includes existing pledges; the newly announced fund starts with 5%.
