Bernie Sanders Shocks Washington With Bold New Plan—Here’s How It Could Upend the 2026 Election

Sen. Bernie Sanders has ignited fresh debate in Washington and Silicon Valley by unveiling legislation that would give the federal government a 50 percent ownership stake in OpenAI, Anthropic and any other U.S. artificial-intelligence company valued above $20 billion, channeling future profits into a new national sovereign-wealth fund. According to the bill summary released late Tuesday, the “AI for the Public Good Act” would require qualifying firms to issue new non-voting shares to the Treasury, dedicate two board seats to labor representatives and cap executive compensation at 50 times the median employee salary. Companies that refuse to comply would lose access to federal R&D tax credits and contracts. Sanders argues the step is necessary “to prevent a handful of billionaires from monopolizing humanity’s most powerful technology,” echoing themes from his long-running crusade against corporate concentration. Supporters on the progressive wing say the fund could generate tens of billions of dollars annually for Medicare expansion, universal child care and climate projects, while anchoring AI development to democratic oversight. Tech leaders, however, warn the proposal could chill investment. Venture-capital firm Andreessen Horowitz called the idea “de facto nationalization,” and an OpenAI spokesperson said the company is “reviewing the text but remains committed to broad-based benefit without government seizure.” Industry groups are already mobilizing a lobbying campaign reminiscent of the 2023 fight over antitrust reforms. The AI bill is Sanders’ second high-profile move this spring. In April he introduced a resolution to halt a $660 million bomb sale to Israel, citing humanitarian concerns in Gaza—legislation that forced a rare Senate vote on U.S. arms transfers. Together, the measures underscore how the Vermont independent is using his chairmanship of the Senate Health, Education, Labor and Pensions Committee to keep economic populism atop the 2026 agenda. Despite long odds in the Republican-controlled House, Democratic strategists say Sanders’ AI plan could influence the policy contours of the 2028 presidential race, pressuring moderates to outline their own visions for sharing the gains of generative AI. Analysts note that Europe and China are already moving toward stricter public-interest rules for artificial intelligence, raising the prospect that the United States could be outflanked on governance if Congress remains gridlocked. For now, the finance and tech sectors are bracing for Senate hearings this month that will pit labor leaders, ethicists and AI executives against one another. With artificial intelligence dominating headlines—and trillions in market value at stake—the clash between Sanders’ public-ownership model and Silicon Valley’s venture-capital engine is set to become one of 2026’s defining political showdowns.