Anthropic founders seek majority voting control ahead of stock market debut

Anthropic is asking its shareholders to approve a governance structure that would hand the company's seven co-founders a combined 50.1% voting share on most corporate matters, a move widely seen as preparation for an eventual public listing.

The proposed arrangement would give the founding group decisive influence over key company decisions, a structure that echoes dual-class share schemes adopted by other technology firms seeking to retain founder control after going public. Anthropic has not confirmed a timetable for any initial public offering.

The push for consolidated founder authority comes as the artificial intelligence company navigates a complex regulatory environment. A United States appeals court recently upheld a Pentagon designation of Anthropic as a supply chain risk, a ruling that could complicate the company's relationships with government clients and defence contractors.

Anthropics founders include Dario Amodei and Daniela Amodei, who left OpenAI to establish the company. The proposed voting structure would require shareholder approval before it could take effect.