Bernie Sanders Proposes Public Ownership Stake in Major AI Companies: 'The Wealth It Generates Must Benefit Humanity'

Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders announced plans Tuesday to introduce legislation that would give the federal government a direct ownership stake in the country's largest artificial intelligence companies, arguing that the wealth generated by AI should be shared with the public because the technology was built on "our collective intelligence."

Writing in The New York Times, the Vermont senator outlined what he calls the American A.I. Sovereign Wealth Fund Act, which would require companies such as OpenAI, Anthropic and xAI to transfer 50% of their equity to a federally managed sovereign wealth fund.

"Since A.I. is built on the collective knowledge of humanity, the wealth it generates must benefit humanity," Sanders wrote. "Not just Mr. Musk, Mr. Altman, Dario Amodei and other moguls whose companies are positioned to dominate the industry."

Under the proposal, the government would hold voting shares in major AI firms and receive equal representation on their boards, giving it authority to influence corporate decisions. Revenue generated through the fund would initially be distributed directly to Americans and could later support broader programs including healthcare, housing and education.

Sanders argued that AI systems were trained on books, journalism, artwork, scientific research, computer code and other material created by millions of people "without permission, without acknowledgment, without compensation."

The proposal goes significantly further than recent policy ideas advanced by the AI industry itself. Earlier this year, OpenAI released a policy framework suggesting public wealth funds tied to AI growth, higher taxes on capital gains and broader social safety nets to address economic disruption caused by automation.

OpenAI described AI as ushering in a new "intelligence age" and proposed mechanisms to distribute economic gains more broadly, including public stakes in AI infrastructure and companies. However, the company stopped short of supporting mandatory government ownership transfers.

Sanders cited both OpenAI and Anthropic as evidence that parts of the industry already recognize the need for broader public participation in AI-generated wealth. The senator compared his proposal to Norway's sovereign wealth fund and Alaska's oil dividend system, arguing that AI represents a public resource comparable to natural resources.

"The future of A.I. and the fate of humanity must not be decided behind closed doors in Silicon Valley," Sanders wrote. "It must be decided by workers, parents, teachers, artists, scientists, communities and the American people."