Anthropic is reportedly asking shareholders to approve a new class of stock that would give its seven co-founders a combined 50.1% of voting power in most corporate matters.
Reuters reports, citing The Information and people familiar with the planning, that the proposed structure would cover CEO Dario Amodei and six fellow co-founders. The control arrangement would remain in effect as long as at least three of them retain a minimum number of shares.
Founder control would have important limits
The proposal would not give the founders the same power over every decision. Board elections would be a significant exception, according to the report. Anthropic has a seven-seat board, with one seat currently vacant.
Employees would also reportedly receive a separate special class of stock that could cast tie-breaking votes on some corporate matters. Those details matter because the headline 50.1% figure describes collective voting power over most issues, not a blanket right for one founder to dictate every company decision.
The Information reportedly compared the design with Palantir's founder-control structure. Such arrangements can let founders retain influence even as outside investors own more of a company's economic value, though the exact rights depend on the terms attached to each share class.
The plan is reported, not yet approved
Anthropic did not immediately respond to Reuters' request for comment. The structure is being discussed as the Claude maker prepares for a possible public offering, but the company has not announced a completed shareholder vote or filed offering terms establishing the reported arrangement.
That distinction leaves the final governance structure open. The proposal may change before any IPO, and the reported conditions on founder stakes, board elections and employee tie-breakers would shape how much practical control the 50.1% voting bloc carries.
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