What Do The Founders Of The Largest Tech Companies Want In Return For Their Gifts?

• 21.10.2026, 19:42

Elon Musk and Dario Amadei plan to donate billions to public causes.

SpaceX founder Elon Musk has promised to give one share of his company to every child in the U.S., while artificial intelligence developer Anthropic has announced the creation of a foundation to which it plans to donate 5% of its shares. Both initiatives could channel billions of dollars toward public needs, but at the same time strengthen the influence of tech billionaires on the lives of Americans, writes The Atlantic.

Investors value Anthropic at approximately $1.5 trillion. If this valuation is confirmed when the company goes public, the value of the shares transferred to the foundation could reach $75 billion. The organization intends to support socially significant projects, including helping people cope with the consequences of changes in the labor market caused by artificial intelligence.

Musk proposed a different approach. According to U.S. President Donald Trump, if the donation goes through, the shares will be channeled through special children’s savings accounts. Recipients will be able to access them once they turn 18.

However, both initiatives raise questions about who will determine how these funds are spent.

Anthropic’s leadership will decide for itself which projects deserve funding, and the foundation will not be required to disclose financial information to the extent required of some traditional charitable organizations.

Musk, meanwhile, may gain additional public support for his companies. SpaceX shareholders, notes The Atlantic, may become less inclined to criticize the billionaire’s business.
“Public welfare should not depend on the whims of a few influential companies,” writes The Atlantic.

Giving away shares can bring real benefits to people, but at the same time make society even more dependent on the decisions of the biggest players in the AI industry.