Anthropic announces ‘Claude Corps’ to teach nonprofits to use AI more effectively

Artificial intelligence company Anthropic has announced a $150 million commitment to launch Claude Corps, an ambitious fellowship program designed to embed AI expertise within nonprofit organizations across the United States. The initiative will place 1,000 fellows trained in using the company’s Claude chatbot with nonprofits for yearlong terms, aiming to help these organizations harness AI more effectively in their daily operations.

The program represents one of the tech industry’s most substantial efforts to bridge the gap between cutting-edge AI technology and organizations that serve communities but may lack the resources or technical knowledge to implement these tools. Anthropic President Daniela Amodei described the initiative as a potential pillar of the company’s broader strategy to help society realize the benefits of artificial intelligence while carefully managing its inherent risks.

Under the Claude Corps structure, Anthropic will not only compensate the fellows but also provide at least 400 host organizations with $10,000 grants and free credits to use Claude. The company plans to evaluate the program after its inaugural year to determine whether it should continue and expand. Amodei expressed hope that the initiative will serve as a model that others in both the public and private sectors can learn from and build upon.

The fellowship program reflects the values Anthropic’s leadership has embedded into the company’s foundation. Amodei, her brother Dario, who serves as Anthropic’s CEO, and the company’s five other co-founders have pledged to donate 80 percent of their wealth. They structured Anthropic as a public benefit corporation, a designation that allows for-profit companies to balance financial objectives with social impact goals.

This philanthropic announcement comes as Anthropic, valued at $965 billion, moves toward a public offering on Wall Street. The company submitted a confidential filing for an initial public offering earlier this month. Amodei acknowledged that the company’s commitment to social responsibility may sometimes conflict with pure commercial interests, but she emphasized that Anthropic has been transparent about its values with potential investors and partners.

Anthropic has distinguished itself within the AI industry through its vocal advocacy for responsible development and regulation of artificial intelligence. The company recently warned that the tech sector should coordinate methods to pause development of advanced AI systems if humans risk losing control of self-improving technology. The company also collaborated with Pope Leo XIV during the development of his encyclical addressing AI and the need for increased regulation, and engaged in a high-profile dispute with the Trump administration when it refused to grant the U.S. military unrestricted access to its AI technology.

Amodei described Anthropic as an “unusual” company where business and research teams operate independently, allowing researchers to openly discuss potential problems with AI development. She believes this transparency is essential for society to adapt to the changes artificial intelligence will bring.

However, not everyone views corporate-led AI philanthropy as sufficient. Bella DeVaan, director of the Charity Reform Initiative at the Institute of Policy Studies, expressed skepticism that any AI company would voluntarily set aside enough profits to support all people affected by AI adoption. She argues that AI companies should not be responsible for their own regulation or defining their altruistic mandates, calling instead for more stringent government oversight.

DeVaan and others worry that without government intervention, AI could create a permanent underclass of workers. They advocate for independent government research into AI’s potential benefits and harms, rather than relying on findings from the companies developing the technology.

Separately, Anthropic announced Wednesday that it will donate $200 million to support an economic framework for workers displaced by AI, beginning with investment in research to understand the issues created by widespread AI adoption.

To implement Claude Corps, Anthropic partnered with CodePath, a San Francisco nonprofit that helps first-generation and low-income students enter the tech workforce. CodePath CEO Michael Ellison said the initiative addresses the need to meet traditional late adopters of technology where they are, including nonprofits, governments, and schools. The organization will manage the fellowship program and accept applications through July 17.

Ellison emphasized that the fellowship will be accessible to a diverse range of young people early in their careers, without requiring specific degrees. The goal is to ensure the initial cohort of fellows represents a broad cross-section of the American population.

Among the organizations selected to host fellows is StriveTogether, a Cincinnati-based nonprofit network focused on preparing young people for economic opportunities. CEO Jennifer Blatz said she hopes the fellows will help standardize AI usage across her organization’s network spanning 27 states while emphasizing that AI remains a tool to enhance, not replace, the human elements of community building and collaboration.