Sanders-Altman AI Ownership Meeting
Fortune reported Saturday that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman held a private, nearly hour-long meeting with Sen. Bernie Sanders this week to discuss giving ordinary Americans an equity stake in AI companies. The session, held at Altman’s request in Sanders’ Senate office, came days after the Vermont independent unveiled a proposal requiring AI companies to hand 50% of their equity to a public wealth fund.
An Unlikely Conversation on Public AI Ownership
Altman told Sanders he broadly supports the concept of public equity in AI, though he stopped short of endorsing the 50% threshold Sanders proposed. People familiar with the discussion said the OpenAI chief expressed willingness to work with Sanders on the underlying idea. The exchange underlines a deepening political tension: Americans are being asked to absorb the disruptions of rapid AI adoption while remaining unconvinced they share meaningfully in its rewards.
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Trump Signals Similar Thinking
The Sanders proposal is not the only pressure Altman is navigating. President Donald Trump told reporters aboard Air Force One on Friday that he is exploring a model where “the American people can benefit from the success of AI.” Trump said executives from major AI firms would visit the White House the following week to discuss a potential public partnership structure. When reporters noted the conceptual overlap with Sanders’ plan, Trump acknowledged that the economic concerns of his voters and Sanders’ supporters “aren’t that far apart.” The comment reflects a broader scrambling of traditional party lines on technology policy, following the Trump administration’s decision last year to secure a 10% stake in chipmaker Intel.
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A Growing Backlash Beyond Washington
Grassroots opposition to AI infrastructure is adding urgency to the policy debate. Altman visited Michigan this week alongside Gov. Gretchen Whitmer to mark construction of a 1.65 million-square-foot data center expected to generate more than 2,500 construction jobs. The appearance drew sharp criticism from local activists and Rep. Rashida Tlaib, who called the project “disgusting.” Across the country, states including Ohio and Virginia are reconsidering tax incentives for data center projects amid resident complaints about electricity demand, water use, and environmental strain. Sen. Josh Hawley of Missouri has called for legislation blocking further data center expansion until companies fund their own power and water infrastructure.
The political convergence around public AI ownership remains fragile, but the Sanders-Altman meeting suggests the idea is moving from fringe proposal to serious negotiating territory.
