Bernie Sanders Says 69% of Americans Back His Plan for Public Ownership of AI Companies: 'AI Must Work for All of Us' - United States News Beep

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On Monday, Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt) pointed to a new poll as he renewed his push for legislation that would give Americans a public ownership stake in the country’s largest AI companies.

Bernie Sanders Cites Poll Backing Public Ownership Of AI Companies

Sanders took to X, stating that 69% of Americans support his proposal to give the public a 50% ownership stake in AI companies through an American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund.

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“69% of Americans support my bill to give the public a 50% ownership stake in AI companies,” Sanders wrote. “The American people understand that AI must work for ALL of us, and not just make a handful of Big Tech billionaires even richer.”

69% of Americans support my bill to give the public a 50% ownership stake in AI companies.

The American people understand that AI must work for ALL of us, and not just make a handful of Big Tech billionaires even richer. https://t.co/G2LcV3YzDs

— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders) July 13, 2026

His post shared a Sunday CNBC report highlighting a June survey by research firm Verasight of 1,690 U.S. adults.

According to the poll, nearly seven in 10 respondents support requiring AI companies like OpenAI and Anthropic to transfer half of their stock into a public sovereign wealth fund.

What Sanders’ AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Would Do

Sanders introduced the American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act in June, arguing that the economic gains generated by AI should benefit the broader public rather than remain concentrated among a small group of tech companies and investors.

The proposal would establish a public fund that holds a 50% ownership stake in the nation’s largest AI companies, allowing Americans to share in the industry’s long-term financial gains.

AI Job Loss Concerns Fuel Debate

The proposal comes as concerns grow over AI’s impact on employment.

Goldman Sachs Senior Global Economist Joseph Briggs has estimated that roughly 15 million U.S. workers, or about 9% of the labor force, could lose jobs during a decade-long AI transition, although he also expects AI to create new jobs over time.

Research firm Windfall Trust says sovereign wealth funds could help governments invest in AI infrastructure and capture economic gains for citizens.

However, it also cautioned that such funds may face difficult trade-offs between maximizing investment returns and advancing national AI priorities.

Sacks, Musk And Vance React To AI Ownership Plan

Meanwhile, former White House AI and Crypto Czar David Sacks criticized Sanders’ proposal, while Ripple Chief Technology Officer David Schwartz argued that the plan amounts to an attack on free speech.

In June, Vice President JD Vance said President Donald Trump supports government ownership stakes in major AI companies through a sovereign wealth fund-style model, while Elon Musk said direct cash payments to Americans would be a better approach.

Photo courtesy: Shutterstock

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Bernie Sanders Says 69% of Americans Back His Plan for Public Ownership of AI Companies: ‘AI Must Work for All of Us’

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