Bernie Sanders Proposes 50% Public Ownership of Major US AI Companies
On June 2, 2026, U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders announced the AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act, requiring the largest American AI companies to transfer 50% of their stock to a public sovereign wealth fund. Arguing that AI models are built on collective human knowledge, Sanders aims to distribute AI-generated wealth broadly and give the public influence over corporate decisions. The proposal has sparked debate, with critics like Ripple’s CTO calling it an attack on free speech, while supporters see it as a major intervention in tech industry wealth concentration.
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Bernie Sanders Proposes AI Tax to Fund $1,000 Monthly Payments to All Americans
Senator Bernie Sanders introduced the American A.I. Sovereign Wealth Fund Act, which would impose a 50% stock-based tax on AI companies with annual gross receipts over $200 million. The government would obtain a 50% stake in these companies, with proceeds distributed as direct payments of up to $1,000 per month to every U.S. citizen. The bill broadly applies to tech companies involved in data centers, AI services, and advanced robotics, including Tesla, Nvidia, and Dell. It also creates a new regulatory commission and requires affected companies to spin off their AI operations. Critics, including R Street Institute's Adam Thierer, call the bill 'crony capitalism' and argue its provisions could undermine profitability and shareholder interests.
Reason.comBern Sanders Proposes 50% Public Ownership of US AI Firms; VP Vance Backs Stake for People but Opposes Cash Dividends
Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced the American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act, which would establish a sovereign wealth fund to acquire 50% ownership of major US AI companies through voting shares controlled by a bipartisan commission. The fund, valued at an estimated $7 trillion, could distribute $1,000 annual dividends to every American. Vice President JD Vance expressed support for giving the American people a stake in AI firms, citing historical wealth concentration as a driver of political instability, but opposed Sanders' direct cash redistribution model. Instead, Vance advocated for 'pre-distribution'—empowering workers through collective bargaining and giving them a seat at the table. The bill faces likely debates and revisions in Congress.
Latest from Tom's HardwareBernard Sanders proposes 50% public ownership of US AI firms; VP Vance signals White House support with pre-distribution approach
Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced the American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act, which would create a sovereign wealth fund controlling 50% of voting shares in major US AI companies. The fund, estimated at $7 trillion, would distribute $1,000 annual dividends to every American and fund public services like healthcare and education. Vice President JD Vance, in a podcast interview, indicated President Trump supports giving the American people a stake in AI companies but prefers 'pre-distribution'—ensuring workers have bargaining power and control over company culture—over direct cash handouts. Vance warned against wealth concentration leading to social unrest, drawing parallels to the industrial revolution. The bill has just been filed and faces likely debates and revisions.
Latest from Tom's HardwareBernie Sanders Proposes $1,000 Annual Dividend for Americans from Government Stake in AI Companies
Senator Bernie Sanders is introducing a bill that would grant Americans 50% ownership of the country's largest AI companies if they become profitable. The proposal aims to distribute the economic benefits of artificial intelligence to ordinary people, potentially providing each American with $1,000 per year from a government-held stake. The bill reflects growing concerns about wealth inequality and the concentration of AI profits among a few tech giants. Sanders argues that AI advancements should benefit the public, not just corporate shareholders. The legislation faces uncertain prospects in Congress but highlights ongoing debates about AI regulation and economic fairness.
Fortune | FORTUNESanders Unveils Sovereign Wealth Fund Tax on AI Companies
Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced the 'American A.I. Sovereign Wealth Fund Act,' which would impose a one-time tax on AI companies with over $200 million in annual sales, paid in stocks. The resulting sovereign wealth fund would be used to pay annual dividends to taxpayers (estimated at $1,000 per person initially) and fund social priorities like education, healthcare, and housing. The fund would be overseen by a seven-member board appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. The bill is unlikely to pass under Republican-controlled Congress, but the concept has support from President Trump and some industry leaders like Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei. The legislation includes provisions for structural separation of AI and non-AI business units and anti-offshoring rules.
Roll CallSanders Unveils Sovereign Wealth Fund Tax on AI Companies
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) has released the text of the 'American A.I. Sovereign Wealth Fund Act,' which would impose a one-time tax on AI companies with over $200 million in annual sales, paid in stocks. The resulting sovereign wealth fund would be managed by a seven-member board appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate, and would pay annual dividends to taxpayers—estimated at $1,000 per person initially—while funding education, health care, and housing. The bill includes rules requiring structural separation of AI and non-AI business segments and prohibits offshore avoidance. Although unlikely to pass under Republican-controlled Congress, the idea has support from the White House, with President Trump expressing interest in federal stakes in AI firms, and from industry figures like Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei.
Roll CallSanders Unveils Sovereign Wealth Fund Tax on AI Companies
Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced the 'American A.I. Sovereign Wealth Fund Act,' which would impose a one-time 50% stock-based tax on AI companies with over $200 million in annual sales. The resulting sovereign wealth fund would be used to pay annual dividends of approximately $1,000 per person and fund social priorities like education, healthcare, and housing. The fund would be managed by a seven-member board appointed by the president. The bill faces long odds under Republican-controlled Congress but has support from industry figures like Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and President Donald Trump, who has expressed interest in government stakes in AI firms. The legislation includes provisions to prevent offshore tax avoidance and requires structural separation of AI and non-AI business units. Sanders argues the bill would give the public control over AI developments that could negatively impact jobs and society.
Roll CallBernie Sanders Unveils Plan for Public Ownership of AI
Senator Bernie Sanders introduced a bill requiring major AI firms with over $200 million in annual revenue to pay a one-time tax of 50 percent of their stock to create a $7 trillion sovereign wealth fund for American taxpayers. The fund would provide an estimated $1,000 annual dividend to citizens. It would be managed by a bipartisan Independent Commission for Democratic AI, with power to block harmful AI decisions. Sanders argues AI wealth should be shared publicly. Critics note the plan ties taxpayers to AI's environmental and social costs, including data center consumption and job displacement. The bill faces steep legislative challenges.
The New RepublicBernie Sanders Unveils Plan for Public Ownership of AI
Senator Bernie Sanders introduced a bill requiring leading AI firms with over $200 million in annual revenue to pay a one-time 50% stock tax to create a $7 trillion sovereign wealth fund for American taxpayers. The fund would provide a 5% annual dividend, estimated at over $1,000 per person. The bill also mandates that AI and non-AI businesses be split, and a new bipartisan Independent Commission for Democratic AI would manage the fund and hold voting shares to block harmful AI decisions. Sanders argues that AI's foundation is based on collective human knowledge, so the public should share in the wealth. Critics note that the plan ties taxpayers to AI companies' success, which involves building unpopular data centers, displacing jobs, and high energy consumption with fossil fuel use. The bill faces steep political odds but is seen as a starting point for AI regulation.
The New RepublicSanders Unveils Bill to Create AI Sovereign Wealth Fund
Senator Bernie Sanders introduced legislation to establish a sovereign wealth fund funded by taking 50% stakes in major U.S. AI companies. The fund would provide annual dividend-like payouts to all Americans. Sanders estimated the fund would be worth a substantial amount, though the full text is truncated. The bill represents a novel approach to distributing the economic benefits of AI development to the public.
Just In NewsBernie Sanders Introduces Bill for $7 Trillion AI Sovereign Wealth Fund with Public Ownership
Senator Bernie Sanders introduced legislation on June 18, 2026, to create a $7 trillion AI sovereign wealth fund that would give the American public a direct 50% ownership stake in the country's largest artificial intelligence companies. Under the bill, firms with over $200 million in annual AI revenue must transfer half their shares to a federally managed fund. An independent seven-person commission, nominated by the president and confirmed by the Senate, would oversee the fund and use voting shares to counter corporate actions harmful to Americans. Every American would receive annual payments exceeding $1,000 from a mandatory 5% dividend. Companies entering the AI sector and later hitting the revenue threshold would face the same requirement. The bill also mandates separation of AI and non-AI operations for large firms. Sanders positioned the proposal as more aggressive than similar ideas from OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, Anthropic's Dario Amodei, and former President Trump, and plans to make AI ownership and economic inequality central to his midterm campaigning.
Yahoo FinanceRipple Exec Says Bernie Sanders' 50% AI Stock Tax Is Nonsense: Here's The Bill That Triggered Him
Senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT) announced the American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act, proposing a one-time 50% tax on the stock of the largest AI companies to create a public sovereign wealth fund. The fund would give Americans ownership stakes in AI firms like OpenAI, Anthropic, and Google DeepMind, with proceeds directed to healthcare, education, and housing. Sanders argued that AI was built on collective human knowledge that was 'stolen' by wealthy corporations. Ripple CTO David Schwartz strongly criticized the proposal on X, calling it one of the worst attacks on freedom of speech in modern history, though he expects the bill to fail. The article highlights the broader tech industry alarm over AI regulation and notes that AI stocks are among the strongest market performers globally.
Yahoo FinanceBernie Sanders proposes 50% AI wealth tax to give public ownership stake
Senator Bernie Sanders has announced plans to introduce the AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act, which would impose a one-time 50% tax on the stock of major AI companies to give the American public a direct ownership stake. Sanders argues that AI is built on collective human knowledge and that its wealth should benefit all, not just billionaires like Elon Musk and Jeff Bezos. The proposal cites OpenAI CEO Sam Altman's comments on training AI on humanity's collective data. While the bill faces an uphill regulatory battle, it comes amid surging AI spending, forecast to reach $2.52 trillion in 2026. The article also includes investment advice and warnings about sector concentration, referencing Moby's research platform and JP Morgan's market analysis.
Yahoo FinanceSanders Proposes Bill for Public 50% Stake in Large AI Companies
Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) announced on Monday that he will introduce the AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act in the coming weeks, proposing to give the public a 50 percent stake in large artificial intelligence companies. In a nearly seven-minute video message, the progressive senator outlined his plan to create a sovereign wealth fund that would hold equity in major AI firms, aiming to ensure that the economic benefits of AI development are shared broadly with the American public. The bill represents a significant intervention in the rapidly growing AI industry, which Sanders argues is concentrating wealth and power among a few corporations. The announcement has sparked debate about government ownership in technology sectors and the future of AI regulation.
Just In NewsBernie Sanders Proposes 50% Public Ownership of Largest US AI Companies via Sovereign Wealth Fund
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) announced plans to introduce a bill requiring the largest American AI companies to transfer 50% of their stock to the public through a sovereign wealth fund. Sanders argues that since AI models are trained on collective human knowledge—including books, art, journalism, and scientific research—the wealth generated should benefit all people, not just a few oligarchs. The proposal would give the government a direct ownership stake, allowing public influence over corporate decisions. The bill aims to ensure that trillions of dollars in AI-generated wealth are used to improve lives and block harmful decisions. Sanders cited Sam Altman's acknowledgment that AI models are built on humanity's collective experience. The announcement was made via social media on June 2, 2026.
Latest from Tom's HardwareBernie Sanders proposes 50% public ownership of largest US AI companies via sovereign wealth fund
U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders has announced plans to introduce a bill requiring the largest American AI companies to transfer 50% of their stock to the public through a sovereign wealth fund. Sanders argues that since AI models are trained on collective human knowledge—including books, art, and data—the wealth generated should benefit all people, not just corporate oligarchs. The proposal would give the government a direct ownership stake, allowing public influence over company decisions. The bill aims to ensure trillions of dollars in AI-generated wealth are used to improve lives and block harmful corporate actions. The announcement was made via social media and a statement on June 2, 2026.
Latest from Tom's Hardware