Americans back sharing AI wealth as debate over industry’s economic benefits grows

The artificial intelligence boom has sparked debate over who should benefit from the technology’s enormous economic potential — and many Americans say the answer shouldn’t be AI companies alone.

Nearly seven in 10 Americans support requiring AI firms to transfer 50% of their stock to a public fund, according to a June survey from research firm Verasight. Support remained at a healthy majority share of 64% even when the respondents were told the proposal was backed by divisive Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders, suggesting the concept itself carries broad appeal beyond a single political figure or affiliation.

The survey found Americans are increasingly interested in policies that would spread AI’s financial gains beyond the companies developing the technology. Verasight CEO and co-founder Ben Leff said the findings reflect bipartisan support for ensuring AI’s economic benefits are shared more broadly.

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The results come as policymakers and AI leaders continue to debate how the technology’s economic gains should be shared. In a 2021 a 2021 essay titled "Moore’s Law for Everything," OpenAI CEO Sam Altman argued that AI will shift economic power “from labor to capital” and proposed creating an “American Equity Fund.”

Under his proposal, companies above a certain valuation would contribute shares equal to 2.5% of their market value each year, with every adult American receiving annual distributions in cash and company stock. Altman argued the goal was to ensure the wealth created by AI benefits the broader public rather than remaining concentrated among a small number of companies and investors.

Federal Reserve officials have also acknowledged AI’s potential to reshape the economy. In a February speech, Fed Governor Michael Barr said rapid AI adoption could produce substantial productivity gains while creating significant labor market disruption if automation replaces workers faster than new jobs emerge. In that scenario, he said policymakers may need to rethink the social safety net to ensure AI’s economic gains are shared broadly, rather than concentrated among a small group of AI companies and investors.

The Verasight survey also suggests many Americans are already thinking along similar lines. Beyond the stock-transfer proposal, respondents expressed strong support for federal oversight of AI, with 89% favoring mandatory public disclosure of internal AI safety testing and 81% supporting government authority to block the release of AI systems considered too risky.

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While ideas such as public ownership of AI companies remain far from becoming law, the survey suggests the conversation is shifting beyond AI’s risks and toward how its economic gains should be shared.