The billionaire promised to donate company stock to roughly 72 million children following Anthropic’s pledge of shares for a public benefit fund.
Elon Musk pledged on Monday to give one share of SpaceX to every child in the United States next year. NBC News reported that Musk announced the plan on social media platform X, though he didn’t share technical or operational details on how the gifts would be managed.
His statement arrived shortly after Anthropic pledged 5% of shares to launch a dedicated public benefit fund aimed at addressing artificial intelligence’s effects on employment.
Valuation and scale of the pledge
A single share of SpaceX is currently valued at roughly $150. Because the United States has about 72 million children under 18 years old, Musk’s pledged gift would carry a value of around $10.8 billion. That sum amounts to less than 2% of his total net worth. Musk offered no further details on the giveaway, and he couldn’t be reached for comment.
Anthropic’s fund and Musk’s reaction
Anthropic announced on Sunday that it will transfer an initial 5% stake into the Anthropic Public Benefit Fund, an entity set up to handle charitable gifts or distribute resources to specific groups. According to Fox News, the firm explained that for every 50% increase in company valuation beyond a set baseline, it may contribute an extra 2%, subject to its board’s choice. In all, the commitments could reach roughly 20% of Anthropic’s equity.
Anthropic officials said that “Given the pace of AI progress, bolder approaches may be needed,” noting the fund’s versatility. The company has been preparing for an initial public offering, with market analysts projecting a valuation topping $1 trillion. The company has historically matched employee charitable donations.
Musk responded to Anthropic’s public announcement on X by arguing that the startup should distribute equity straight to citizens instead of an internal fund. “Next year, I will give one of my SpaceX shares to every kid in America,” Musk posted later on Monday, adding that it would be the first of multiple giveaways. Fox News Digital contacted Anthropic on Monday to ask whether it would distribute shares to American families, but the company didn’t respond.
Government accounts and executive plans
President Donald Trump commended Musk on Truth Social on Monday afternoon. Trump thanked Musk for donating SpaceX stock to children through federal accounts, stating that the move fulfilled his vision of private industry investing in American youth.
The Trump administration has worked to open financial accounts seeded with $1,000 for children born starting in 2025. Other corporate executives have joined that project. SpaceX President and Chief Operating Officer Gwynne Shotwell and her husband scheduled donations to 2 million children living in low-income communities, focusing on Texas.
Economic worries and public pushback
The pledges come as anxiety mounts over how automation will affect human workers. A central concept behind heavy investment in artificial intelligence is that automated tools will streamline business operations while reducing returns to manual and mental labor. Anthropic Chief Executive Dario Amodei has warned that AI might wipe out 50% of white-collar employment before the end of the decade.
Labor’s share of broader economic growth had been dropping even before modern artificial intelligence tools debuted. Recent surveys indicate broad public hesitation regarding the technology. An Associated Press poll released last week revealed that 64% of American adults think artificial intelligence is moving too fast, and 8 in 10 respondents said federal officials should focus on protecting workers. An NBC News survey published last month showed that 70% of Americans feel more anxious than excited about AI, with most respondents saying they would oppose building a data center near their home.
Musk’s history with public commitments
Musk has previously announced major business commitments that didn’t occur. In August 2018, he claimed on social media that he had secured funding to take electric automaker Tesla private. That buyout collapsed, and federal regulators subsequently stripped Musk of his role as Tesla’s board chairman.
