Senator Bernie Sanders has introduced legislation that would compel the largest AI companies in the United States to transfer 50% of their equity into a publicly held fund, with the aggregate value of those stakes estimated at roughly $7 trillion. Under the proposal, American citizens would effectively become co-owners of these firms and receive annual payments of approximately $1,000 per person. The bill targets companies that reach profitability, making the trigger conditional rather than immediate.
If passed in any form resembling its current structure, this legislation would be the most aggressive forced dilution of private tech equity in U.S. history — directly hitting the market cap of companies like Nvidia, Microsoft, Google, and Meta. Even a low probability of passage creates an overhang on AI-heavy portfolios, as investors price in regulatory risk. ETFs with large AI concentrations, particularly QQQ and SMH, would feel the pressure.
Senate Judiciary or Commerce Committee scheduling for bill hearing (no date set yet). Watch for co-sponsors emerging — that's the first real signal this gains traction. Next major AI policy flashpoint: any White House executive order on AI regulation, expected to be signaled through OMB filings.
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