The rise of artificial intelligence (AI) is causing a jobs shock across various sectors, and the industry and lobbyists may resort to cash-transfer schemes like universal basic income to alleviate the backlash. However, a more effective approach is to create a professionally managed, firewall-insulated Public AI Wealth Fund that distributes an annual dividend tied to the AI upside, rather than basic income. This would give the public a meaningful stake in AI’s returns while using competition, data, labor, and energy rules to keep the field open and the harms in check. The deal between AMD, Nvidia, and the U.S. government provides the platform to kick-start the creation of this fund. The FTC, Justice Department, and FTC can scrutinize deceptive AI claims, dark patterns, and data misuse. States should seed their own AI wealth funds with data-center and related revenues and equity warrants tied to subsidized projects, coordinated with the national fund. Insist that public dollars tied to AI come with ownership, transparency, and exit rights.
Congress should establish a public AI wealth fund. Enilsa Brown 44
