- Survey shows 69% of Americans support Bernie Sanders’ policy to require 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 seems to drop when Sanders’ name is mentioned
AI is developing an image problem, and respondents to a new survey have made their feelings clear: Bernie Sanders’ call for AI companies to contribute stock to a massive public fund is widely supported.
Conducted in June 2026 by non-partisan survey research firm Verasight, the survey consisted of 17 questions sent to 1,690 adults (18 and over) and found over two-thirds (69%) support Sanders’ policies – a number that only drops to 64% when the politician associated with the idea is revealed.
The bad news for the AI industry does not end there, as respondents showed a notable distrust of how AI companies behave, with nearly half (43%) believing that the rules 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 America’s biggest AI companies, with a one-time tax paid not in cash but in stock. “Since AI is built on the collective knowledge of humanity, the wealth it generates must benefit humanity,” he said, announcing his planned law on social media.
This, according to Sanders’ proposal, would provide an annual $1000 check to American citizens and fund health care and education.
“The results of our latest study show a rare case of bipartisan agreement,” noted Ben Leff, CEO and co-founder of Verasight.
“There is an undeniable desire among Americans from both parties for federal oversight, absolute transparency and accountability to ensure AI safety and to enable all Americans to share in the economic benefits of AI.”
Even with a polarizing figure like Bernie Sanders attached, the hedge fund idea retains support, suggesting that while people are happy to use AI to answer questions, streamline processes and make tasks faster, they are less comfortable with the wider impact of the industry.
A bad public perception
Although AI companies are becoming increasingly unpopular, it’s not all bad news. The survey asked people about their feelings in other industries, including tobacco, pharmaceuticals and casinos, along with social media. If the tide is turning against AI, it still won’t be seen as bad as casinos or tobacco.
Sentiments about AI companies are also significantly more positive than social media. Given the concerns expressed about federal oversight and public wealth funds, there could be an opportunity for OpenAI, Google Gemini, Anthropic, Microsoft and others to improve the general sentiment around AI: to accept some degree of social responsibility.
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