Skip to main content
5 min read

Bernie Sanders and Sam Altman's private one-hour meeting about the public ownership of AI

Trump said the public could benefit from AI’s success and that executives would discuss the idea at the White House.

Bernie Sanders and Sam Altman's private one-hour meeting about the public ownership of AI
Image · Fortune

SOURCE CHECK

TAP FOR WHY
Outlet credibilityFortune86/100 HIGH
This article1 analysis · Oct 6, 2026

Credibility rates Fortune, where this article appeared. The other scores rate the article itself.

Original publisher not identified

This article credits another publisher, which ChamberLight has not identified, so the scores are Fortune's own.

Fortuneoriginal publisher not identified
Jun 6, 2026
tl;dr

Bernie Sanders met with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman after proposing that the public take a 50% stake in AI companies. Altman backed public participation in AI’s gains but rejected Sanders’ proposed threshold, while President Donald Trump also voiced interest in a public partnership.

Community verdict

23 VOTES
How does this story look for
Donald Trump R · President of the United States
● OPEN

People in this story

SWIPE →
Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President who expressed interest in a public partnership in AI

PRIMARY SUBJECT
Bernie Sanders
I · VT · SEN

Senator who proposed public ownership of AI companies and met with Sam Altman

Sanders's version of this story ↗

New York Democratic House candidate who made AI regulation a campaign issue

Elissa Slotkin
D · MI · SEN

Michigan senator who described grassroots opposition to data centers

Josh Hawley
R · MO · SEN

Missouri senator who called for a halt to data center development until operators cover infrastructure costs

Rashida Tlaib
D · MI-12

Michigan representative who criticized a data center project and Gov. Gretchen Whitmer’s appearance there

ALSO MENTIONED  Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan governor who appeared with Altman at a data center site and defended the project; Michael Kratsios, White House chief science and technology adviser who met with Altman; Sam Altman, OpenAI CEO who requested the meeting and supported public equity in AI companies in principle

Part of a bigger story

13 OUTLETS
Trump Voices Interest in Public Partnership on AI

Reports say Bernie Sanders proposed a 50% public stake in AI companies, Sam Altman supported public equity in principle but not that threshold, and Donald Trump expressed interest in a public partnership that could let people benefit from AI’s success. Center outlets present the positions as shared interest in public participation, while some widen the story to AI’s costs, oversight, and community effects.

COVERAGE BY OUTLET LEANTHIS OUTLET
ARTICLES
13
OUTLETS
13
AVG CRED
85

Discussion · 0

What's your take?

Loading comments…