Elon Musk said Monday that he will give a share of SpaceX to every American child next year, calling it part of his effort to bring about “universal high income” through artificial intelligence.
“Next year, I will give one of my SpaceX shares to every kid in America,” Musk wrote on X. “This will be the first of many.”
The post offered few details on how the plan would work.
What We Know So Far
Musk took SpaceX public this year. The company now includes his artificial intelligence, satellite internet and social media businesses. Its shares traded around $150 on Monday after closing at $146.03 on Friday. SpaceX is due to report quarterly earnings on Tuesday.
About 73 million people in the United States are under 18. At Friday’s closing price, one share for each would be worth about $10.66 billion.
Musk appeared to say the shares would be handed out through the investment accounts the Trump administration launched earlier this year, according to The Washington Post. He did not say which children would qualify, when next year the shares would go out, or how the transfers would be carried out.
What Authorities Are Saying
The pledge came a day after Anthropic announced it would commit 5% of its shares to a new “public benefit” fund. The Anthropic Public Benefit Fund is a new entity within the company, and its worth could rise as the shares gain value.
Musk replied to Anthropic’s post on Sunday. “I recommend giving the shares directly to the public,” he wrote.
Musk has criticized traditional philanthropy as ineffective, arguing that giving at scale is hard for anyone who cares more about real good than appearances. He has said AI will bring “amazing abundance” and has called for the government to issue checks so people share in it.
Differing Accounts
The sources value the pledge on different bases. The AP used Friday’s $146.03 close to arrive at about $10.66 billion. The Washington Post cited the price of around $150 on Monday and did not put a figure on the total. The AP said Musk gave no further details, while the Post said he appeared to point to the Trump administration’s investment accounts.
Why This Matters
The announcements from Musk and Anthropic come as Americans grow more wary of AI. A new poll from The Associated Press NORC Center for Public Affairs Research found that 64% of Americans think AI is developing “too fast.” Another 27% said the pace is “about right,” and 8% said “too slow.”
Last month, Anthropic’s Dario Amodei, OpenAI’s Sam Altman, Musk and other industry leaders said AI development needs to slow down, after an Anthropic researcher resigned with a warning about threats the technology poses to humanity. Domestic and global competition, profit motives and pushback from President Donald Trump all stand in the way of a coordinated effort to set the pace, the AP said.
Musk is also the biggest known donor in this year’s midterm elections. He has given more than $276 million since July to help Republicans keep their majorities in Congress.
What Happens Next
Musk has not said when next year the shares would go out or who would receive them. SpaceX reports earnings Tuesday.
Sources: the Associated Press and The Washington Post
