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Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders and Sam Altman are all talking about public ownership in AI

Sanders proposed a 50% public stake in AI companies and met with Sam Altman to discuss the idea.

Donald Trump, Bernie Sanders and Sam Altman are all talking about public ownership in AI
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This article1 analysis · Oct 6, 2026

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Jun 6, 2026
tl;dr

Sen. Bernie Sanders proposed giving the public a 50% ownership stake in AI companies, and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said he supports public equity but not Sanders’ specific threshold. President Donald Trump also voiced interest in a public partnership, as debate grows over AI’s costs, oversight and community impacts.

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Bernie Sanders I · VT · SEN
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Bernie Sanders
I · VT · SEN

Senator proposing public ownership in AI companies

PRIMARY SUBJECT
Donald Trump
R · President of the United States

President expressing interest in a public partnership on AI

Trump's version of this story ↗

New York House candidate making AI regulation a campaign issue

Elissa Slotkin
D · MI · SEN

Senator describing grassroots opposition to data-center development

Josh Hawley
R · MO · SEN

Senator calling for data centers to cover their infrastructure and resource costs

Rashida Tlaib
D · MI-12

Representative criticizing the Michigan data-center project

ALSO MENTIONED  Gretchen Whitmer, Michigan governor appearing at a data-center project and defending development under high standards; Michael Kratsios, White House chief science and technology adviser who met with Altman; Sam Altman, OpenAI CEO who met with Sanders and expressed support for public equity in AI companies

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13 OUTLETS
Bernie Sanders Meets Sam Altman to Discuss Public Ownership of AI

Sanders proposed a 50% public stake in AI companies and discussed the idea with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman. Altman said he supports public equity in principle but not Sanders’s proposed threshold. Center outlets focus on Sanders’s proposal and Altman’s response; some also connect them to Donald Trump’s separate interest in a public partnership and wider disputes over AI’s costs, oversight and effects.

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