Published Jun 2, 2026 (Futurism.com)<\/p>\n\n\n\n The hype surrounding generative AI has generated astronomical amounts of value, with tech companies raising tens of billions of dollars and many \u2014 including OpenAI and Anthropic \u2014 preparing to go public this year at sky-high valuations, in moves that will produce incredible wealth for their stockholders.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Whether the average Joe will ever directly benefit from all of this is looking dubious at best. That\u2019s despite many of these tools relying on AI models that were trained on the creative output of millions of people, copyright be damned<\/a>, the vast majority of whom have yet to see a single cent. Quite the contrary \u2014 many workers are facing a disastrous job market<\/a> as a result of corporations stretching themselves thin through massive investments in AI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Meanwhile, concerns continue to grow that the billionaire class is unethically enriching itself through the scheme, while shutting out the democratic process<\/a>.<\/p>\n\n\n\n To independent senator Bernie Sanders (D-VT), that kind of injustice needs to end. In an essay published by the New York Times<\/em><\/a>, Sanders argued for the creation of an \u201cAI Sovereign Wealth Fund\u201d that would be created through a \u201cone-time 50 percent tax\u201d on the stock of AI companies, including OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI, to \u201cgive the public a direct ownership stake.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n In other words, Sanders is proposing to transfer half<\/em> of the AI companies\u2019 stock into a public fund \u2014 a one-time transfer as opposed to a tax on profits \u2014 which the government will manage. Generated revenues could be distributed as \u201cdirect payments to the American people.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n While many important details have yet to be ironed out, as Sanders admits, it would represent a massive shift and equity transfer \u2014 if his act were to pass, that is.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cThe question, then, is not whether AI will change the world,\u201d he wrote. \u201cIt will. The question is: Who will own and control that future? Who will benefit from it, and who will be hurt by it?\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sanders argues such a fund would \u201cgive the public a direct role in determining the future of this technology,\u201d while also guaranteeing that the \u201ctrillions of dollars potentially generated by AI are used to improve the lives of all of us \u2014 not simply to make the richest people in the world even richer.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n While chances of the senator\u2019s idea surviving the Congressional approval process are likely slim \u2014 the AI industry holds immense influence over Congress \u2014 it\u2019s a creative approach to an increasingly sticky problem. Even tech leaders, who have watched as the backlash to AI continues to grow, have turned their attention to possible solutions<\/a> to address even greater wealth disparity caused by the emergence of AI.<\/p>\n\n\n\n Jeff Bezos recently argued<\/a> that the bottom 50 percent of earners shouldn\u2019t pay any taxes, while OpenAI CEO Sam Altman came up with a new concept called \u201cuniversal basic compute<\/a>,\u201d which would provide free access to those who can\u2019t afford costly AI tools. Meanwhile, SpaceX founder Elon Musk has called for a new take on universal basic income, uninspiringly dubbed \u201cuniversal high income<\/a>.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n Sanders\u2019 sovereign wealth fund takes the idea a step further, giving Americans who don\u2019t happen to be tech billionaires an opportunity to get in on the ground floor. The concept has already been \u201cput into practice right here at home,\u201d Sanders wrote, pointing to an Alaskan sovereign wealth fund that\u2019s allowed residents to receive annual dividends through oil revenues.<\/p>\n\n\n\n \u201cTo start, the billions, if not trillions, of dollars generated by this fund would provide direct payments to the American people,\u201d he wrote. \u201cAnd as the fund generates more and more wealth, the proceeds would be used to ensure that every man, woman and child in our country has a decent and dignified standard of living, including health care, education and housing.\u201d<\/p>\n\n\n\n More on Bernie Sanders:<\/strong> Unions Attack AI for Menacing Human Jobs<\/em><\/a><\/a><\/p>\n\n\n\n I\u2019m a senior editor at Futurism, where I edit and write about NASA and the private space sector, as well as topics ranging from SETI and artificial intelligence to tech and medical policy.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":" \u201cWho will own and control that future? Who will benefit from it, and who will be hurt by it?\u201d By Victor Tangermann Published Jun 2, 2026 (Futurism.com) The hype surrounding generative AI has generated astronomical amounts of value, with tech companies raising tens of billions of dollars and many \u2014 including OpenAI… Continue reading ![\"A](\"https:\/\/futurism.com\/wp-content\/uploads\/2026\/06\/bernie-sanders-plan-seize-ai-industry.jpg?quality=85&w=1152\")
Victor Tangermann<\/a><\/h2>\n\n\n\n
Senior Editor<\/h3>\n\n\n\n