69% of Americans Want Government Stake in AI Companies as Layoffs Surge, Survey Finds

A majority of U.S. workers now support creating an AI wealth fund that would require major artificial intelligence companies to give the public a financial stake in their success, according to a new survey reported by CNBC on July 12, 2026. The findings show that 69% of Americans want the government to hold a substantial equity position in AI firms, a sentiment driven by rising anxiety over technology-driven job losses.

The survey results come as tech layoffs continue to surge across the United States, with AI frequently cited as a contributing factor in workforce reductions at major corporations. For comprehensive breaking AI news and policy analysis, AI Buzz Wire is tracking the growing debate over who should benefit from the AI revolution.

The Survey Findings

According to the survey, 69% of respondents support the idea of a 50% public stake in major AI companies, a proposal that would fundamentally reshape the relationship between the technology sector and the American public. The survey found that support for an AI sovereign wealth fund has grown as workers seek greater accountability from corporations deploying AI at scale.

The findings reflect a significant shift in public attitudes toward wealth distribution in the technology sector. While proposals for government equity stakes in private companies have historically been viewed as fringe ideas in American politics, the rapid advancement of AI—and the economic disruption it brings—appears to be moving such concepts into the mainstream.

The Sanders Connection

The survey results lend new weight to legislation introduced by Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) in June 2026. Sanders unveiled a bill to create an AI sovereign wealth fund that would take 50% stakes in the country's largest AI companies, valued at an estimated $7 trillion. Under the proposal, Americans would receive annual payouts of approximately $1,000 from the fund.

Sanders argued that the measure is designed to ensure the economic benefits generated by artificial intelligence are shared broadly rather than concentrated among a small group of technology executives and investors. The senator's bill drew attention from across the political spectrum, with some Republicans and the Trump administration also expressing interest in public ownership concepts for AI.

The Trump administration has been in active discussions about mechanisms for public participation in AI wealth creation, though its proposals have differed from Sanders' plan in both scope and structure. The convergence of progressive and conservative interest in the concept underscores how unusual the AI moment is in American economic history.

Layoffs Drive Anxiety

The survey's timing is notable. July 2026 has seen continued waves of technology layoffs, with several major companies citing AI-driven efficiency gains as a factor in workforce reductions. Reports have indicated that AI is being blamed for up to 40% of recent job cuts in certain sectors, and U.S. layoffs have reached their highest levels since the pandemic.

A separate study from the Center for AI Safety and the Remote Labor Index found that AI agents are increasingly capable of performing freelance work, with one report showing a 16% decline in freelance job postings. The Harvard study on AI-native startups skipping entry-level hiring has added to concerns that the career ladder for young workers is being disrupted.

These developments have created a climate in which proposals for wealth redistribution through public ownership of AI companies resonate with a broad swath of the American public. The survey suggests that the idea is not limited to any single political ideology—it draws support from workers across the political spectrum who feel left behind by the AI boom.

Industry Pushback

AI companies and industry advocates have pushed back against the wealth fund concept, arguing that imposing government equity stakes would stifle innovation and reduce the United States' competitive advantage in the global AI race. Critics have warned that such measures could drive AI companies to relocate to jurisdictions with more favorable regulatory environments.

OpenAI, for its part, has proposed a voluntary framework in which AI companies would contribute a percentage of their equity to a government-managed fund. The company's proposal, which involves a smaller stake than the Sanders plan, has been seen as an attempt to shape the policy debate on terms more favorable to the industry.

Supporters of the wealth fund concept counter that without some form of public stake, the benefits of AI will accrue almost exclusively to a handful of companies and their shareholders, leaving millions of displaced workers without compensation or support.

A Defining Debate

The survey findings suggest that the debate over AI wealth distribution is moving from academic and policy circles into mainstream political discourse. With nearly seven in ten Americans supporting some form of public ownership stake in AI companies, elected officials may face increasing pressure to act.

The issue also raises fundamental questions about the future of work and the social contract. If AI systems can perform an increasing share of economic tasks, how should the resulting productivity gains be distributed? The traditional answer—through employment and wages—may be insufficient if AI displacement accelerates.

For now, the AI wealth fund remains a proposal rather than a policy. But with strong public support, high-profile legislative champions, and interest from both major political parties, the idea is likely to remain a central theme in the AI policy debate for the foreseeable future.

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