US AI taxation and equity proposals

Discussions regarding the taxation of artificial intelligence in the United States have gained momentum, focusing on how to manage the economic impacts of the technology.

Bridgewater Associates proposed an economic model to Washington policymakers involving a ‘token tax’ on AI usage. The firm suggested a 35% tax could generate roughly $600 billion by 2030, with the revenue used to purchase shares in leading AI companies to provide ‘citizen equity’ directly to the public. This approach aims to mitigate economic inequality and labor market disruption without relying on traditional universal basic income models.

Following these discussions, US legislators have introduced specific frameworks to regulate AI growth. Representatives Greg Casar and Sara Jacobs have introduced legislation for a ‘token tax’ targeting data units processed by large language models. Other legislative efforts include Senator Bernie Sanders’s proposal for an AI Sovereign Wealth Fund and Senator Elizabeth Warren’s call for an excise tax on data centers. While some high-profile figures have expressed support, critics warn that such measures could stifle technological innovation, drawing comparisons to unsuccessful historical attempts to tax internet data.