Who would benefit from a U.S. wealth fund's investment in AI?

A strange alignment of bedfellows — OpenAI, Anthropic, President Donald Trump, and U.S. Sen. Bernie Sanders — are all discussing the idea of the public having an ownership stake in artificial intelligence companies.

The idea is simple. If the public bears costs through data center buildouts and loses jobs to AI, then the public should share in the benefits of the technology through a government-controlled sovereign wealth fund.

​”If there were financial success from these companies, that would then go to the fund and then perhaps be allocated back to the public,” said Kevin Frazier, director of the AI Innovation and Law program at the University of Texas.

He said AI companies are willing to consider contributing shares because it could help counter the growing angst over the technology.

“The biggest thing that's in it for the companies is having a social license to operate,” Frazier said.

If the government, and perhaps individual Americans, have financial fortunes tied with those of AI firms, that could take the edge off of public backlash. It might also help the companies when it comes to regulation, said Tad DeHaven, policy analyst with the Cato Institute.

“It may be the safer bet to not remain on the outside, but to swallow that pill and come on in the inside, where… they may have more say on the future of how this industry is regulated,” he said.

DeHaven cautioned that this could backfire for companies if the government gains control through stock ownership and dictates what AI companies can do.