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Sanders' $7 Trillion AI Wealth Fund Plan Fuels Debate Over Public Ownership of AI

October 1, 2026 at 07:18 EDT

Policy & Regulation
Foundation Models

A proposal to give the U.S. public a 50% ownership stake in major AI companies has become a flashpoint in the fight over who should profit from artificial intelligence. Sen. Bernie Sanders' American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act would impose a one-time stock tax on large AI businesses, place the shares in a public fund and use the proceeds for dividends and social programs.

June 2026 · U.S. AI policy

A public stake in frontier AI

The American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act would take a 50% equity stake in large AI companies and place it in a public fund projected at about $7 trillion.

50%

Equity tax on qualifying AI companies

$7T

Estimated fund value at current valuations

Annual dividend target from the fund

$200M

Annual AI sales threshold

The equity transfer, drawn to scale

10%Reference slice

50%Proposed public stake

Each block represents 10 percentage points of company equity.

How the bill would work

Identify qualifying AI companies

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Transfer 50% of equity to the fund

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Pay annual dividends and govern shares

Supporters' case

Public ownership could share AI-driven gains and give citizens a voice in companies shaping jobs, safety and infrastructure.

Critics' concern

Opponents warn that compulsory equity transfers could chill investment or entrench dominant firms through state-backed ownership.

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