Seven co-founders of artificial intelligence company Anthropic will each sell an identical number of shares in the firm's upcoming initial public offering, according to filings, with each set to receive roughly $250 million in cash at the midpoint of the proposed price range. The equal-share structure means the group will collectively realize about $1.75 billion while retaining voting control of the company after the listing, a rare arrangement that allows founders to monetize early stakes without ceding governance to public shareholders.
The move comes as Anthropic, a leading developer of large language models, prepares to enter public markets amid intense investor appetite for artificial intelligence firms. The founders' decision to sell matching blocks of stock is likely to be scrutinized by analysts assessing insider confidence and the company's post-IPO ownership structure. Anthropic has not disclosed a timetable for the offering, and the final proceeds will depend on where shares price within the marketed range. Company representatives did not immediately respond to requests for further comment on the filings.
Independent reporting synthesized from primary wires and global correspondents.