- A poll shows that 69% of Americans support Bernie Sanders’ policy of requiring AI companies to transfer 50% of their shares to a public fund.
- Respondents also overwhelmingly favor giving the federal government the power to block new AI services deemed “risky.”
- Support appears to decline 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 companies contribute stock to a massive public fund has broad support.
Conducted in June 2026 by nonpartisan survey research company Verasight, the survey consisted of 17 questions sent to 1,690 adults (age 18 and older), and found that more than two-thirds (69%) supported 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 doesn’t end there, as respondents demonstrated notable distrust in the way AI companies behave, and nearly half (43%) believe that regulations proposed by 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.
How does AI wealth distribution work?
Senator Bernie Sanders’ plan gives the public a direct stake in the largest artificial intelligence companies in the United States, with a one-time tax that is paid not in cash, but in shares. “Since AI is based on the collective knowledge of humanity, the wealth it generates must benefit humanity,” he said, announcing his planned law on social media.
Under Sanders’ proposal, this would provide an annual $1,000 check to American citizens and fund healthcare and education.
“The findings from our latest survey demonstrate a rare case of bipartisan agreement,” said Ben Leff, CEO and co-founder of Verasight.
“There is an undeniable desire among Americans of both parties for federal oversight, full transparency, and accountability to ensure the safety of AI and enable all Americans to share in the economic benefits of AI.”
Even with a polarizing figure like Bernie Sanders attached, the wealth fund idea maintains support, suggesting that while people are happy to use AI to answer questions, streamline processes and streamline tasks, they are less comfortable with the broader impact of the industry.
A poor public perception
While AI companies are becoming increasingly unpopular, it’s not all bad news. The survey asked subjects about their feelings about other industries, including tobacco, pharmaceuticals and casinos, as well as social media. If the tide is turning against AI, it is still not considered as bad as casinos or tobacco.
Sentiments about AI companies are also noticeably more positive than those about social media. Given concerns expressed about federal oversight and public funding, there might be one path for OpenAI, Google Gemini, Anthropic, Microsoft and others to improve overall sentiment about AI: accepting a degree of social responsibility.
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