Claude AI-maker Anthropic to buy back employee shares: What it may mean for the AI startup backed by Google and Amazon

Anthropic, the AI startup backed by Amazon and Google, is planning its first-ever employee share buyback. According to a report by The Information, Anthropic will buy shares from current and former employees at a valuation of $61.5 billion. This matches the valuation from its recent $3.5 billion Series E funding round. The offer, as per the report, will give employees a chance to cash out some of their shares while helping Anthropic hold on to key staff.Employee liquidity programs like this are becoming more common among AI startups. By offering early chances to sell shares, companies hope to keep employees motivated without relying only on high salaries.

For those unaware, Anthropic was founded in 2021 by former OpenAI executives, including CEO Dario Amodei.