Trump Proposes AI Profit-Sharing Program for Americans

President Donald Trump announced plans to convene major artificial intelligence companies at the White House next week to explore a federal partnership that would distribute AI industry profits directly to American citizens.

Speaking to reporters Friday, Trump outlined a concept where Americans would receive company dividends or equity stakes as AI firms generate unprecedented wealth. The proposal aims to secure public support for technology that many fear will disrupt employment and the broader economy.

"There's so much money and it's so big that there are concepts where pieces could be given to the American public, where the American public essentially becomes a partner with the companies," Trump said. He indicated he has already discussed the framework with AI industry leaders, though he declined to name which companies would attend the White House meetings.

Why it matters

This marks a significant shift in how government might engage with the AI sector, moving beyond traditional regulation toward direct financial participation. With leading AI companies preparing initial public offerings valued above $1 trillion each, the economic stakes are enormous. The proposal also reflects growing bipartisan concern about AI's potential to reshape labor markets, creating an unusual alignment between Trump and progressive lawmakers on technology policy.

Industry and political backing

The profit-sharing concept has gained traction across the political spectrum. OpenAI has published policy papers supporting a public wealth fund, while Anthropic and Elon Musk's xAI have engaged in similar discussions. Senator Bernie Sanders recently introduced legislation that would establish 50 percent government ownership in AI companies.

Both OpenAI and Anthropic are preparing massive IPOs, each expected to exceed $1 trillion in valuation. These companies view public equity stakes as a mechanism to offset economic disruption while maintaining growth momentum.

"As far as economics is concerned, we have certain things that aren't that far apart. People are surprised," Trump said when asked about Sanders' parallel proposal.

Internal opposition emerges

Not everyone in Trump's orbit supports the initiative. David Sacks, Trump's former AI czar and a prominent anti-regulation advocate, publicly opposed the concept Friday. Sacks warned the plan would accelerate what he called "corporate-government fusion."

"Conservatives rightly fear a Central Bank Digital Currency. They ought to be even more concerned about Central Government AI — a system with even more totalistic power over information, decision-making, and human behavior," Sacks wrote on social media platform X.

Sacks recently influenced the White House to temporarily halt efforts addressing cybersecurity risks from advanced AI models, demonstrating his continued influence on administration technology policy.

Implementation challenges

Critics highlight fundamental tensions in government simultaneously regulating and investing in the same industry. Questions remain about how equity stakes would be distributed, managed, and valued, as well as whether such arrangements would compromise regulatory independence.

The president suggested the partnership structure would help Americans "like it better" as AI technology advances, framing public ownership as essential for maintaining social license to operate.

These details were first reported by NOTUS.