Anthropic’s founders seek voting control ahead of IPO

Founders propose super‑voting share structure to retain control

Amid preparations for its public debut, Anthropic is asking shareholders to approve a plan that would grant CEO Dario Amodei and his six co‑founders special shares representing a combined 50.1% voting power on most corporate matters, provided at least three of them maintain a minimum ownership stake. The proposal, reported by The Information, would be put to a vote “in the coming days.”

The mechanism mirrors the super‑voting shares used by Mark Zuckerberg to keep control of Meta and by Evan Spiegel to preserve his influence at Snap. What sets Anthropic’s plan apart is its collective approach, giving the entire founding team a dominant say rather than concentrating power in a single individual.

Context, rationale, and governance details

The seven founders each own roughly 2% of the company, including Amodei, and have pledged to donate 80% of their wealth—a commitment the CEO announced in January while warning that unchecked AI‑driven wealth concentration could destabilize society. The new shares carry no additional economic value but are designed to lock in the group’s control once the stock begins trading publicly.

Beyond voting power, the proposal outlines changes to board composition. The Anthropic Long‑Term Benefit Trust would continue to select most board members, while the founders’ representation would increase from two to three seats. Additionally, employees would receive stock grants that would break ties on certain issues, giving them a limited but meaningful voice.

Valuation figures underscore the stakes involved. Anthropic, a five‑year‑old enterprise, was appraised at $965 billion in May. Recent secondary‑market trading values the firm at $1.5 trillion, a level that the upcoming IPO is expected to reflect.