Bernie Sanders Proposes a 50% Tax on AI Company Stocks: Ownership Would Go to Citizens

In the United States, a new front opens in the debate over artificial intelligence and the distribution of wealth generated by emerging technologies. Independent Senator Bernie Sanders, representing Vermont, has announced his intention to introduce legislation aimed at ensuring direct participation for citizens in the major companies operating in the AI sector.

According to the American politician, artificial intelligence represents one of the most significant innovations in modern history, with tangible effects already being felt on the economy, education, institutions, and society at large. For Sanders, the central issue is not just about the evolution of technology, but rather who will control its development and who will benefit from the wealth it generates.

The proposal stipulates a one-time extraordinary tax of 50% on the stock value of the leading American AI companies. This would not be a taxation on profits, but rather a mechanism designed to transfer a significant share of corporate ownership to the public, effectively creating public participation in companies deemed strategic for the future of the economy.

"I will soon be introducing a bill to give the public a 50% ownership stake in the largest AI companies in America. This would guarantee that the trillions created by AI are used to improve the lives of all of us — and block oligarch decisions that harm the American people."
— Bernie Sanders (@BernieSanders)

June 2, 2026

In statements shared via social media platform X, Sanders argued that the goal is to prevent the economic benefits of AI from concentrating in the hands of a small group of executives, investors, and billionaires from Silicon Valley. According to the senator, a broader distribution of ownership would allow for the wealth produced by artificial intelligence to be used to improve the living standards of the population, combat poverty, and address long-term challenges such as climate change.

This theme emerges during a particularly intense phase for the AI industry. Major tech companies are rapidly increasing investments in infrastructure, data centers, and computing power. Industry estimates indicate that over the course of the year, the combined spending on investments by giants like Amazon, Microsoft, Alphabet, and Meta could exceed $750 billion. Companies specializing in hardware and semiconductors, including NVIDIA, AMD, and Micron, are also benefiting from this arms race in technology.

At the same time, investor interest in some of the most important private companies in the AI landscape is growing, as they are seen as potential candidates for future stock listings. Among the most closely watched names are Anthropic and OpenAI, both valued at hundreds of billions of dollars by private markets. Even SpaceX continues to be cited by observers as one of the tech companies that could attract tremendous interest in the event of an IPO.

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Sanders has also recalled some proposals already suggested by tech sector representatives. OpenAI, for example, has previously discussed the idea of tools capable of distributing part of the wealth generated by artificial intelligence to the population, while Anthropic has shown interest in models inspired by sovereign funds investing in emerging technologies. Elon Musk, for his part, has repeatedly suggested forms of direct economic support to compensate for potential job losses caused by automation.

Alongside the economic opportunities, Sanders has highlighted also the concerns related to the development of increasingly advanced AI systems. According to the senator, there is a risk that with the gradual increase in the capabilities of models, scenarios may emerge where human control becomes more complex, with potentially significant consequences for society.