US Senator’s AI Plan Could Pay Americans Thousands Annually

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Artificial intelligence companies are racing to build bigger and more powerful models, generating billions of dollars in value along the way. But one US senator believes the public deserves a direct share of those profits. His proposal could eventually put thousands of dollars into Americans’ pockets.

US Senator wants AI profits shared with users

Senator Bernie Sanders has unveiled a new legislative proposal aimed at giving US citizens an ownership stake in the country’s largest AI companies. The plan is based on the idea that modern AI systems were built using vast amounts of publicly available knowledge, creative works, and data generated by ordinary people over decades (via Android Authority).

The proposal frames AI not as an invention built solely by tech companies, but as a product that relies heavily on decades of human creativity, research, and publicly accessible information. AI companies are benefiting from a collective pool of human knowledge while concentrating most of the financial rewards among a handful of technology executives and investors.

Sanders has warned that AI could have far-reaching consequences for jobs, privacy, and society if left unchecked. He argues that the technology’s success depends on information and content created by millions of people, and therefore, the public should receive a portion of the economic gains generated by AI.

What the bill would do

According to the proposal, the federal government would impose a one-time 50% tax on the stock holdings of major AI firms. Those shares would then be transferred into a public sovereign wealth fund designed to benefit all Americans.

The proposal aims to create a seven-member commission to manage the public AI wealth fund. Members would be appointed by the President and confirmed by the Senate. The body would oversee the fund, protect public interests, and influence decisions affecting the AI industry.

The bill may also require large companies that operate AI divisions alongside other businesses to spin off those AI units. The goal is to ensure the public ownership stake applies specifically to AI-related operations rather than broader corporate activities.

Profits generated through the sovereign wealth fund would be returned directly to US citizens through annual payments. Backers of the plan estimate that the proposed fund could eventually reach a value of roughly $7 trillion.

Initially, the fund would distribute a dividend equivalent to around 5% of its value each year. Under current projections, that could translate to annual payments of about $1,000 per American. The payouts could grow significantly if AI companies continue expanding at their current pace. In that scenario, annual distributions could eventually reach several thousand dollars per person.

The proposal also seeks to shield taxpayers from downside risk. If AI company valuations fall, the losses would primarily affect the companies and the value of the fund rather than requiring additional taxpayer contributions. Of course, the proposal faces major political and legal hurdles before becoming a reality, if at all.

Written by

Sumit Adhikari

Sumit, a life-long Samsung user, is passionate about technology and has been professionally writing on tech since 2017. He’s a mathematics graduate by education and enjoys teaching basic mathematics tricks to school kids in his spare time. Sumit believes in artificial intelligence and dreams of a fully open, intelligent and connected world.

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