Anthropic & OpenAI IPOs could unleash $15B/year in AI philanthropy

A decade ago, Ryan Carrier founded ForHumanity after witnessing AI systems spinning out of control—Facebook's election interference, a racist Microsoft chatbot, and Tesla's first Autopilot fatality. His nonprofit, which audits AI systems, has raised only hundreds of thousands since 2016, but now sees a golden opportunity. OpenAI and Anthropic, each valued near a trillion dollars, are expected to go public soon, creating a wave of newly wealthy employees aligned with effective altruism. Anthropic's founders have pledged 80% of their wealth, and the company matches employee donations 1:1 or 3:1 depending on tenure. Industry insiders estimate that Anthropic's IPO alone could generate $15 billion annually in new philanthropy—enough to boost total US giving by 2.5%, equivalent to adding four Bill Gateses.

Nonprofits are fiercely preparing for this windfall. ForHumanity's Carrier plans to crash San Francisco IPO parties to get in front of potential donors. AI4ALL's CEO Bo Young Lee is attending more events and leveraging board member Fei-Fei Li's connections. Redwood Research, an AI safety nonprofit, is also positioning itself. Competition is intense—employees at AI labs receive up to 20 unsolicited donation requests per week. Consultants advise against cold pitches, so organizations are ramping up hiring, training, and automation. Christine Peterson of Foresight Institute calls it "a wild ride." However, IPOs could be delayed or underperform, and donors may hoard their wealth, making the outcome uncertain.