U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders, a prominent progressive politician, is pushing a bold proposal to share the immense wealth generated by artificial intelligence (AI) companies with the American public. According to an Associated Press report on June 18, Sanders aims to enact legislation that would allocate half of the shares from major AI companies to the American people.
The proposed bill targets companies with annual AI revenues exceeding $200 million, mandating a one-time tax that would reclaim 50% of their stock to establish a sovereign wealth fund. Sanders estimates this fund could reach approximately $7 trillion, generating hundreds of billions of dollars annually to provide cash dividends to Americans and support public services such as education, housing, and healthcare.
In an interview with AP, Sanders stated, "The benefits of AI should not be limited to a few wealthy corporations. They should be shared with the American people." The core of this proposal involves collecting taxes in the form of stock rather than cash. By transferring shares to the government, American citizens would effectively become major shareholders in leading AI companies.
The bill stipulates that the sovereign wealth fund would be managed by seven independent commissioners appointed by the president and confirmed by the Senate. This commission would exercise corporate voting rights to prevent decisions harmful to the public and promote policies beneficial to citizens.
Sanders argued that if 5% of the fund's assets were distributed as dividends, every American could receive over $1,000 annually. Should the value of AI companies increase, additional profits would be reinvested in education, housing, and healthcare.
The discussion around sharing the benefits of AI with the public is gaining traction among lawmakers and in Silicon Valley. AP noted that President Donald Trump has mentioned the potential for a partnership with the American people regarding government stakes in AI companies, while OpenAI proposed a public fund in April to ensure all citizens could benefit from AI growth.
However, Sanders' proposal is significantly more radical than these ideas. It aims not just to return a portion of profits but to ensure that the public holds half of the corporate shares, thereby influencing management decisions.
He remarked, "This is a much more advanced solution than giving unilateral and absolute power to a few billionaires. The public must have a significant role in decision-making to ensure AI benefits ordinary people."
Sanders has expressed his intention to continue prioritizing the issues of AI and wealth inequality in his political agenda, emphasizing, "Workers may lose jobs while billionaires become richer. The American people do not want that future."
* This article has been translated by AI.
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