The Billionaire Tax Backfire? Trump Stuns Big Tech With Wild Plan to Give Every American a 'Cut' of AI Profits

Donald Trump has floated an idea that could dramatically expand the debate over artificial intelligence and who should profit from it, suggesting that ordinary Americans should receive a direct share of the wealth generated by the booming industry.

Speaking at the White House, Trump said he plans to meet with the AI sector's leading executives to discuss ways of 'giving back something to the public'. Although he offered few details, the proposal immediately raised fresh questions about whether the federal government could play a role in redistributing some of AI's enormous financial gains and what such a move could mean for the technology companies driving the boom.

The Public's Cut

According to The New York Times, Trump recently told reporters he intends to convene the AI industry's top '12 or 15 executives' to explore ways for the public to benefit directly from artificial intelligence.

'If we do that, the public will become very rich,' Trump said.

The White House has not disclosed which executives are expected to attend or explained how such a programme would operate. Even so, Trump's remarks mark one of his clearest endorsements of the idea that AI's commercial success should produce tangible financial benefits beyond investors and technology companies.

The comments also build on remarks Trump made earlier this month. According to Politico, he suggested Americans could effectively become partners in AI companies through some form of public participation.

'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. 'The American people can benefit from the success of AI — and by doing that, they're going to like it better.'

While the proposal remains conceptual, it introduces an idea that could eventually require some of the world's largest AI companies to consider how the public might share in the value created by the technology.

Who Gets AI Wealth?

Trump's comments arrive as artificial intelligence becomes an increasingly contentious political issue.

Investment in AI continues to accelerate, but concerns have grown over job displacement, soaring electricity demand and the rapid construction of large-scale data centres needed to support advanced AI systems.

A Heatmap poll found that seven in 10 Americans oppose having a data centre built near their home, highlighting broader public unease about the industry's expansion.

Against that backdrop, policymakers from both major parties are increasingly asking whether the economic rewards from AI should be concentrated among technology firms or shared more broadly across society.

Trump's proposal represents a notable departure from traditional Republican economic messaging, which has generally favoured limited government involvement in private enterprise. Instead of focusing solely on encouraging innovation, he has introduced the possibility of direct public participation in AI-generated wealth.

Big Tech's Dilemma

The broader conversation extends well beyond Washington.

OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman recently met Senator Bernie Sanders to discuss AI regulation and the economic consequences of rapid technological change.

Altman described AI as 'a real change to society', adding: 'I think it's possible both that people can use AI a lot and like using it and also have anxiety about what it's going to do for the future.'

Sanders has proposed a one-time 50% tax on AI companies' stock to establish a sovereign wealth fund that would provide payments to Americans while giving the federal government a controlling ownership stake in participating companies.

Although Trump's proposal differs substantially, both approaches reflect growing interest in ensuring that AI's financial rewards extend beyond shareholders alone.

OpenAI has also published policy proposals supporting public funds to assist workers displaced by AI, while Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei has argued governments may ultimately need to consider long-term income support if artificial intelligence permanently reduces demand for human labour.

Beyond Regulation

For now, Trump has outlined an ambition rather than a detailed policy.

Major questions remain unanswered, including how Americans would receive a financial stake, whether AI companies would voluntarily participate and what legal authority the federal government would have to implement such a plan.

Even so, the proposal has broadened one of the defining policy debates surrounding artificial intelligence. Until recently, discussions centred largely on safety, regulation and competition. Trump is now asking a different question: whether the extraordinary wealth created by AI should also flow directly to the public.

Whether the idea ultimately develops into legislation or remains a political talking point, it has already shifted the conversation beyond how AI should be governed to who should benefit from its extraordinary economic success.