Anthropic's Public Benefit Mission: A Closer Look at Their Corporate Charter

Someone recently asked if there was an Anthropic equivalent to OpenAI's IRS mission statements over time. Anthropic operates as a "public benefit corporation" rather than a non-profit, so they don't have the same requirements to file public documents with the IRS annually. However, when I inquired about their mission evolution, Claude ran a search and uncovered a Google Drive folder where Zach Stein-Perlman shared Certificate of Incorporation documents he obtained from the State of Delaware.

The documents reveal that Anthropic's public benefit mission has been remarkably consistent over the years. The earliest document from 2021 states: "The specific public benefit that the Corporation will promote is to responsibly develop and maintain advanced Al for the cultural, social and technological improvement of humanity."

Every subsequent document up to 2024 uses an updated version which says: "The specific public benefit that the Corporation will promote is to responsibly develop and maintain advanced AI for the long term benefit of humanity."

The evolution is subtle but noteworthy. The 2021 version emphasizes three specific dimensions of human progress - cultural, social, and technological - while the later version broadens the scope to simply "the long term benefit of humanity." This shift suggests a more expansive view of what constitutes human benefit, moving away from enumerating specific categories toward a more holistic approach.

Interestingly, Anthropic's mission statements are far less dramatic than OpenAI's, which have undergone significant changes over the years. While OpenAI's mission has evolved from "discovering and enacting the path to safe artificial general intelligence" to more recent formulations, Anthropic's core commitment to "responsibly develop and maintain advanced AI" has remained constant.

The documents also reveal that Anthropic's public benefit mission is embedded in their corporate charter rather than being a separate mission statement. This legal framework means the mission is baked into the company's governance structure, potentially making it more difficult to change than a typical corporate mission statement.

As a public benefit corporation, Anthropic has a legal obligation to consider the impact of its decisions on society and the environment, not just shareholder returns. This structure was likely chosen to align with their stated mission of developing AI for humanity's benefit while still allowing them to raise venture capital and operate as a for-profit entity.

The consistency of Anthropic's mission over time stands in contrast to the rapid evolution we've seen in the broader AI industry. While companies like OpenAI have refined and expanded their missions as they've grown, Anthropic appears to have maintained a steady focus on responsible AI development since their inception.

This stability in mission could be seen as either a strength or a limitation. On one hand, it demonstrates a clear and unwavering commitment to their stated goals. On the other hand, it may suggest less flexibility in adapting to new challenges and opportunities in the rapidly evolving AI landscape.

What's particularly interesting is that despite the simplicity of their mission statement, Anthropic has managed to carve out a distinct identity in the AI space. Their focus on "responsible" development and "long term" benefit positions them as a more cautious and ethically-minded alternative to some of their competitors.

The documents also raise questions about how Anthropic measures and reports on their progress toward these public benefit goals. Unlike non-profits, public benefit corporations aren't required to publish detailed annual reports on their social impact, leaving some ambiguity about how they track and communicate their success in fulfilling their mission.

As the AI industry continues to grapple with questions of safety, ethics, and societal impact, Anthropic's consistent mission and public benefit structure may become increasingly relevant. Their approach offers a potential model for how AI companies can balance commercial success with broader social responsibility.

For now, Anthropic's mission remains a simple but powerful statement: to develop advanced AI responsibly for the long-term benefit of humanity. Whether this mission will evolve further as the company grows and the technology advances remains to be seen, but for now, it provides a clear north star for their work in the field of artificial intelligence.