Bernie Sanders pushes AI sovereign wealth fund as Donald Trump backs public ownership

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders announced a proposal to give the public a 50% stake in major artificial‑intelligence companies, calling for an American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act. The plan would create a public wealth fund financed by stock ownership, mirroring similar funds in Alaska and Norway, to ensure AI‑generated wealth benefits all Americans rather than a handful of billionaires.

President Donald Trump expressed support for the idea, saying the American people should benefit from AI’s success and indicating that executives from leading AI firms would meet at the White House to discuss the partnership. A recent meeting between Sanders and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman highlighted growing dialogue between policymakers and AI industry leaders on how to share the technology’s gains.

If enacted, the legislation could reshape ownership structures in the AI sector and influence future regulatory and investment decisions across the United States.