U.S. President Donald Trump again said he would share the vast wealth created by artificial intelligence (AI) corporations with all Americans. As concerns grow over mass unemployment and social disruption from recent advances in AI, the move is seen as an attempt to distribute the massive profits reaped by tech corporations to ordinary citizens to quell discontent and boost approval ratings.
According to a roundup of major outlet reports including Reuters on the 10th (local time), President Trump told reporters in the Oval Office that he would soon meet with AI industry heads to discuss ways to return profits. Trump said, "We plan to hold a meeting with 12 to 15 top executives soon," adding, "We are talking about giving something back to the public, and if we do that, the public will become very wealthy." He added, "I think they will do it. That action will gain very strong support."
Trump's remarks are interpreted as contemplating a plan in which the U.S. government would acquire equity in AI corporations and distribute it to the public. Earlier, on the 5th, he also said he wanted to "discuss a plan to secure equity in corporations and provide it to the public."
In the United States, public backlash against rapidly growing AI technology is spreading. A Reuters poll on the 8th found that half of Americans said they could lose their jobs due to AI advances. In a Quinnipiac University survey in March, 55% viewed AI as a "harmful presence."
Silicon Valley tech corporations have put forward back-to-back proposals to voluntarily redistribute wealth to avoid regulatory pressure. OpenAI and Anthropic proposed creating a public fund in case of mass layoffs. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman visited Washington last week and proposed a "public wealth fund" that would provide equity tied to economic growth to all Americans, including citizens who do not invest in financial markets. Ideas under discussion include the government distributing dividends through sovereign wealth funds or paying out shares directly into "Trump accounts" created under last year's tax overhaul.