Market analyst Robert Cyran points out that the successive announcements of massive stock grants by Silicon Valley billionaires may stem from both altruism and a desire to "insure" their own wealth. Anthropic announced plans to inject 5% of its shares into a charitable foundation after shareholder approval; Musk stated that he will donate one SpaceX stock to every child in the US next year. The Dells previously pledged $6.3 billion to children, and SpaceX President Shotwell also plans to donate millions of shares. These commitments stem from both optimistic expectations of AI creating wealth and practical considerations. Anthropic employees predict that AI could lead to Nobel Prize-worthy discoveries by 2030, with annual GDP growth potentially reaching 17%; Musk even believes that the material wealth brought by AI may make money less important, but his promises may not be fulfilled: the Roadster delivery delay is one example. Public resistance to AI infrastructure is also growing. A Gallup poll in March showed that 70% of respondents opposed building data centers in their neighborhoods, and protesters also appeared at Anthropic's investor day. Giving away shares to the public could help tech giants secure support for their projects; if AI leads to mass unemployment, these donations could also ease social tensions and even help them preserve their wealth.
