More and more US employees back forcing AI companies to transfer half of
their stock into a public wealth fund

Date:
Fri, 17 Jul 2026 23:20:00 +0000

Description:
The AI industrys ability to self regulate appears to be under threat from a public perception that companies like Anthropic are untrustworthy.

FULL STORY ======================================================================Copy link Facebook X Whatsapp Reddit Pinterest Flipboard Threads Email Share this article 0 Join the conversation Follow us Add us as a preferred source on Google Newsletter Subscribe to our newsletter Survey inds 69% of Americans support Bernie Sanders policy of requiring AI firms to transfer 50% of their stock to a public fund Respondents are also overwhelmingly in favor of giving the federal government the power to block new AI services deemed risky
Support does appear to drop when Sanders' name is mentioned AI is developing an image problem, and respondents to a new survey have made their feelings clear: Bernie Sanders demand that AI firms contribute stock to a massive public fund is widely supported.

Conducted during June 2026 by the nonpartisan survey research company Verasight, the survey consisted of 17 questions sent to 1,690 adults (18 and above), finding over two-thirds (69%) supporting Sanders policy a figure
that only drops to 64% once it is revealed which politician the idea is associated with. The bad news for the AI industry doesnt end there, as respondents demonstrated a notable distrust for how AI companies conduct themselves, with nearly half (43%) believing that the regulations proposed by the AI companies are designed to benefit those same companies. Incredibly,
30% of respondents trust the US federal government more than companies like OpenAI and Anthropic. Latest Videos From Watch full video here: How does AI wealth distribution work? (Image credit: Getty Images / Tasos Katopodis) Senator Bernie Sanders plan gives the public a direct stake in Americas largest AI companies, with a one-off tax paid not in cash, but in stock. "Since AI is built on the collective knowledge of humanity, the wealth it generated must benefit humanity," he said, announcing his planned Act on social media.

This would, according to Sanders proposal, deliver an annual $1000 check to U.S. citizens, and fund healthcare and education. You may like US artificial intelligence sovereign wealth fund sees surge in support as AI job losses mount Bernie Sanders wants the American public to own 50% stake in AI companies New study finds most Americans think the pace of AI development is moving too fast

"The findings from our latest survey demonstrate a rare instance of
bipartisan agreement," noted Ben Leff, CEO and Co-Founder of Verasight.

"There is an undeniable desire among Americans of both parties for federal oversight, absolute transparency, and accountability to ensure AI safety and to enable all Americans to participate in the economic benefits of AI." Are you a pro? Subscribe to our newsletter Sign up to the TechRadar Pro
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Even with a polarizing figure like Bernie Sanders attached, the wealth fund idea retains support, which suggests that while people are happy to use AI to answer questions, streamline processes, and make tasks quicker, theyre less comfortable with the industrys wider impact. A poor public perception While
AI companies are becoming increasingly unpopular, it isnt all bad news. The survey quizzed subjects about their feelings on other industries, including tobacco, pharmaceuticals, and casinos, along with social media. If the tide
is turning against AI, it still isnt regarded as poorly as casinos or
tobacco.

Feelings about AI companies are also notably more positive than social media. Given the concerns expressed about federal oversight and public wealth funds, there could be an avenue for OpenAI, Google Gemini, Anthropic, Microsoft ,
and others to improve the general feeling about AI: accepting a degree of social responsibility. Follow TechRadar on Google News and add us as a preferred source to get our expert news, reviews, and opinion in your feeds.



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