Sanders proposes sovereign wealth fund to give Americans ownership stakes in major AI firms

Senator Bernie Sanders announced a bill that would impose a one-time 50% tax on the stock of AI companies with at least $200 million in annual AI sales, creating a sovereign wealth fund estimated at about $7 trillion. The fund would be managed by a seven-member independent commission appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, which would hold voting shares to influence corporate decisions.

The legislation proposes that the fund distribute a 5% annual dividend, providing roughly $1,000 per year to each American, with any excess earnings directed toward public programs such as health care, education and housing. Sanders said the structure would protect taxpayers from losses even if AI company valuations fall.

The idea of public stakes in AI firms has drawn interest from other political figures and industry leaders. President Donald Trump has suggested a partnership between the government and AI companies, while OpenAI’s CEO Sam Altman and Anthropic’s CEO Dario Amodei have discussed public-wealth-fund concepts in their own proposals.

Sanders emphasized that his plan represents a significant shift from current ownership patterns, arguing that broader public participation is needed to ensure AI benefits ordinary people. He indicated the proposal will be a central theme of his upcoming campaign activities.