AI Is Reshaping The Job Market. Most Workers Now Want A Share Of The Wealth.

Growing concern over artificial intelligence’s impact on jobs is reshaping how many Americans view the industry’s economic gains, with a majority now backing the idea that the public should directly benefit from the wealth generated by leading AI companies, a new survey shows.

A national poll of 1,690 adults conducted in June found that 69% of Americans support requiring AI companies to transfer 50% of their stock into a public sovereign wealth fund, CNBC reported, citing research firm Verasight. The findings come as businesses continue investing heavily in artificial intelligence while workers face mounting concerns about layoffs and job security.

The debate over how AI-related wealth should be shared has gained momentum as companies across the technology sector continue restructuring workforces while increasing spending on AI infrastructure. The discussion has also unfolded against a backdrop of broader economic uncertainty this year, including market volatility tied to geopolitical conflicts and supply chain disruptions that have pushed governments and businesses to place greater emphasis on technological competitiveness.

Benjamin Leff, chief executive of Verasight, said the survey suggests many Americans increasingly view AI sovereign wealth funds as a way to ensure the financial benefits of artificial intelligence are distributed more broadly across society.

The poll also follows legislation introduced in June by Sen. Bernie Sanders. The proposed American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act would require the largest AI companies to provide the public with a 50% ownership stake through a national sovereign wealth fund. According to CNBC,

Sanders said the measure is intended to ensure the economic gains created by artificial intelligence improve the lives of Americans rather than benefiting only a small number of wealthy investors and technology executives.

Concerns over employment have become a central part of the AI debate as technology companies conduct workforce reductions while accelerating AI deployment. According to a nationwide Reuters/Ipsos poll completed in June found that 53% of Americans worry artificial intelligence could cost them or someone in their household a job, reflecting broad anxiety over the pace of workplace automation.

Those concerns have also been echoed in recent research from Goldman Sachs. Senior Global Economist Joseph Briggs estimates that more than 9% of the U.S. labor force, or roughly 15 million workers, could lose jobs during a 10-year AI transition, although the firm’s research also notes that AI adoption is expected to create new employment opportunities over time as businesses and industries adjust.

The discussion over sovereign wealth funds extends beyond worker compensation. Windfall Trust, cited by CNBC, said such funds can finance AI infrastructure, acquire equity stakes in AI companies and capture part of the industry’s economic returns for public benefit. At the same time, the research group said governments face the challenge of balancing financial returns with national strategic priorities when investing in AI, particularly if overseas companies offer stronger investment opportunities than domestic firms.

The proposal has also drawn wider attention among economists and policy analysts. Reuters Breakingviews reported last month that policymakers are increasingly debating mechanisms ranging from sovereign wealth funds to other public investment models as artificial intelligence becomes a larger contributor to economic growth.

The news agency noted that questions remain over how such funds would be structured, which companies would be covered and how governments would balance public ownership with continued private-sector innovation.