Anthropic’s founders are working to ensure they retain influence over the company after its upcoming initial public offering (IPO). According to The Information, the company is proposing a structure that would give CEO Dario Amodei and his six co-founders special voting shares. These shares would give them a combined voting power of 50.1% on most corporate decisions, provided at least three of them continue to hold a minimum stake. This kind of voting structure is not new—similar arrangements have been used by tech leaders like Mark Zuckerberg at Meta and Evan Spiegel at Snap to maintain control of their companies. What sets Anthropic’s approach apart is its group-based structure. The seven co-founders, including Amodei, each own 2% of the company and have pledged to give away 80% of their wealth. Amodei made this commitment public in January, along with a warning about the risks of AI-driven wealth concentration. The new voting shares, while not offering additional financial benefits, would allow the founders to maintain control once the company goes public. The company’s Long-Term Benefit Trust, which was established to represent the interests of future generations, would still have the power to select most of the board. The founders’ representation on the board would increase from two to three seats. Additionally, employees would receive stock that could be used to break ties on certain issues, ensuring a broader voice in decision-making. Anthropic, which was founded five years ago, has seen its valuation soar from $965 billion in May to $1.5 trillion in the secondary market. Its upcoming IPO is expected to reflect this significant increase in value. The company’s move highlights the ongoing debate about how to balance control with transparency and accountability in publicly traded tech firms.