Bernie Sanders Proposes Federal Government Take 50% Stake in Major AI Companies

Senator Bernie Sanders outlined a plan in a New York Times article calling for the federal government to acquire 50% of the stock of major AI producers, citing the argument that generative AI systems were built on the collective intellectual output of humanity — including books, artwork, journalism, and scientific research — without the consent or compensation of the original creators. Sanders characterized this as a form of theft by some of the world's wealthiest individuals and argued that the resulting wealth should benefit the public broadly. Critics, including legal scholars cited by right-leaning outlets, argue the proposal would constitute an unconstitutional taking under the Fifth Amendment's Takings Clause, which requires just compensation for government seizure of private property. Legal analysis points to Supreme Court precedent, including Loretto v. Teleprompter, suggesting that even partial seizures of property qualify as takings requiring compensation. The proposal has drawn comparisons to Trump administration efforts to acquire equity stakes in companies through regulatory pressure and subsidies, though Sanders' approach would be more direct and legislative in nature.