Sanders Pushes 50% Stock Tax on AI Labs as Trump Backs U.S. Equity Stakes
Updated
Updated · Financial Times · Jun 11
Sanders Pushes 50% Stock Tax on AI Labs as Trump Backs U.S. Equity Stakes
3 articles · Updated · Financial Times · Jun 11
Summary
Bernie Sanders is drafting a bill that would force major AI labs to pay a one-off 50% tax in stock, giving the federal government ownership stakes and board voting rights.
Donald Trump signaled support last week, saying he was discussing a deal with leading AI labs that would make them "almost" a partnership with the American public.
The push comes as OpenAI and Anthropic race toward potential IPOs and face rising backlash over AI's risks, with both companies having floated public investment fund ideas; Sam Altman met Sanders last week.
Trump's administration has already spent more than $10bn on direct stakes in semiconductor and minerals groups such as Intel and MP Materials, framing equity ownership as a national-security tool.
The idea still faces major obstacles: Sanders says details are critical, libertarian critics warn of state distortion and regulatory capture, and his bill appears unlikely to pass.
With the US taking stakes in its AI champions, is a global race to nationalize artificial intelligence now inevitable?
Will a US 'AI wealth fund' truly benefit every citizen, or will it become another tool for corporate and state control?
As Washington seeks control of AI, can private companies' ethical 'red lines' survive national security demands?
Bipartisan Push for Public AI Ownership: Sanders and Trump Propose Competing Models for Trillion-Dollar Tech Stakes
Overview
In June 2026, a surprising bipartisan movement emerged as Senator Bernie Sanders and President Donald Trump both called for public ownership or profit-sharing in major AI companies, responding to public anxiety over wealth concentration and job loss as AI giants like OpenAI and Anthropic prepare for trillion-dollar IPOs. Sanders proposes a bold plan for a government-managed fund with a 50% equity stake, aiming to give Americans direct ownership and cash payments, while Trump supports a less intrusive, voluntary model with a smaller, passive government stake. This convergence reflects growing concern about AI’s societal impact and has shifted the national debate toward public benefit from AI-driven wealth.