Sen. Bernie Sanders has unveiled a plan to give the American public direct ownership of artificial intelligence (AI) companies. The proposal, which would create a sovereign wealth fund overseen by an independent commission, aims to transfer wealth and power from the AI industry to the public.

How the Fund Would Work

The plan would impose a one-time 50% tax on the stock of the largest AI companies, which would be used to finance the sovereign wealth fund. The fund would generate hundreds of billions of dollars annually in direct payments to Americans and would support programs such as health care, education, and housing.

Sanders estimates that the tax would create a nearly $7 trillion fund, which would make the American public a major shareholder in the country’s largest AI firms. A seven-person independent commission would manage the fund and use its voting shares to block decisions that hurt the American people and to push for policies that help them.

Support and Criticism

The idea of giving the public a stake in AI has drawn interest from figures such as President Donald Trump and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. However, Sanders’ proposal goes further, calling for public ownership of half of the largest AI companies and direct influence over corporate decision-making.

Some critics argue that the plan is too aggressive and could stifle innovation in the AI industry. Others see it as a necessary step to ensure that the benefits of AI are shared by all Americans, not just a handful of wealthy corporations.

Original reporting: KTBS 3 (Shreveport) — read the source article.