Should the US gov’t receive a piece of the AI pie?

Over the weekend, President Trump suggested the idea of the US government taking a small ownership position in major AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic, saying it "could be a beautiful thing."

• OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has spent more than a year discussing versions of the proposal with top Trump admin officials including the president, per reports.
• Trump’s comments came days after Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) proposed a similar but far more ambitious plan that would see the government own a significant share of equity in top AI firms.

The stakes are high

Many AI leaders believe the technology could create enormous wealth while also disrupting jobs and reshaping the labor market. As some of the industry's biggest companies move closer to public stock market debuts, some policymakers and AI leaders are debating whether the financial benefits should be shared more broadly with the public.

The two proposals from Trump and Sanders are rooted in the same idea: if AI creates massive new wealth, the public should share in a portion of it. But their ideas on how the process should work paint a different story.

Under Trump's version: AI companies would voluntarily contribute around 1%-5% ownership stakes to a public wealth fund, meaning Americans would share in a portion of the profits generated by AI giants over time.

Under Sanders’ version: Major AI firms would be required to hand over 50% stock ownership to a public wealth fund under a one-time tax, including voting shares and representation on company boards. This would grant the US gov’t some decision-making influence over America’s largest AI companies, with the ability to advocate for policies in the public interest.

Not everyone is convinced

While neither ownership proposal appears close to becoming law, critics from across the political spectrum have already raised concerns.

• Some policy experts warn government ownership could create conflicts of interest by making Washington both a regulator and shareholder in the same companies.
• Free-market advocates argue federal ownership could distort competition by giving certain companies an implicit government endorsement, while others contend the proposals don't go nearly far enough.

Meanwhile, on Capitol Hill…A bipartisan group of House lawmakers on Thursday unveiled a draft bill that would establish a national framework for AI regulation, touching on areas including content moderation, cybersecurity, research security, and risk management. It comes days after President Trump signed an executive order on AI safety and cybersecurity.

📊 Flash poll: In your opinion, should the US government take equity stakes in major American AI companies?

• Yes
• No
• Unsure/other