Artificial intelligence company Anthropic is expanding its support for nonprofit organisations through new AI tools and professional assistance, as it prepares for its first public share offering.
The maker of AI assistant Claude announced on Monday that it had launched a new Claude for Nonprofits plugin, developed in collaboration with 30 nonprofit organisations to better address their specific needs.
The company will also expand its Claude Corps programme, which places fellows within nonprofit organisations to help them make better use of AI. Under the expanded initiative, consultants will also be available to assist organisations with smaller, short-term projects.
“This work is so core to who we are as a public benefit corporation,” Anthropic’s head of beneficial deployments, Elizabeth Kelly, told The Associated Press.
She said the company was founded to develop AI safely and responsibly while ensuring the technology benefits everyone, including communities that are often left behind.
Earlier this month, Anthropic announced plans to allocate 5% of its shares to a new Anthropic Public Benefit Fund. The fund could finance large-scale donations to nonprofits or provide direct support to groups adversely affected by AI.
The proposal still requires shareholder approval following the company’s initial public offering (IPO), which could take place as early as November.
However, critics argue that AI companies may be using charitable donations and nonprofit initiatives to improve their public image at a time when concerns over the technology’s risks and potential impact on jobs continue to grow.
Anthropic maintains that its status as a public benefit corporation requires it to balance commercial interests with the wider public good.
Company president Daniela Amodei previously told the Associated Press that this structure helps investors, employees and the public understand the company’s intentions and hold it accountable.
Other public benefit corporations include eyewear maker Warby Parker, insurance company Lemonade and Amalgamated Bank.
AI tools help nonprofits stretch limited resources
Anthropic said around 25,000 nonprofit organisations are currently using Claude for Nonprofits, with most employing fewer than 10 people.
Kelly said the technology could have a significant impact on organisations operating with limited resources.
One example is Texas-based nonprofit Allies Against Slavery, which uses Claude to analyse more than 750 state-level anti-human trafficking policies and turn them into recommendations for advocates.
Kelly described the initiative as “compounding good”, reflecting the company’s ambition to use AI to support work that benefits society.
The Montgomery County Food Bank in Texas has also reported benefits from using Claude.
Its president and chief executive officer, Scott Burns, said the technology had helped the organisation save resources while continuing to provide food to people in need.
With fuel, food and other operating costs rising, Burns said the food bank wanted to increase its impact without significantly expanding its resources.
The organisation has used Claude to improve food collection and delivery schedules and manage communications with donors.
It is also preparing to welcome two Claude Corps fellows who will help modernise its outdated inventory system and improve volunteer scheduling.
Burns said he hoped to share the organisation’s experience with other food banks so they could benefit from similar improvements.
Anthropic offers specialist support to nonprofit sector
The Taproot Foundation, another nonprofit working with Anthropic, welcomed the company’s efforts to provide professional expertise for specific projects.
Chief executive Cat Ward said nonprofit organisations often had ambitious goals but lacked the resources to carry them out efficiently.
She said access to AI tools and specialist assistance could help these organisations achieve their objectives more quickly.
Anthropic’s expanded initiatives come as the company prepares for a potential IPO, while debate continues over whether AI firms can balance commercial growth with meaningful public benefits.
Although the company says its nonprofit programmes reflect its founding mission, questions remain over how effectively public benefit corporations can be held accountable for serving the wider public interest.
