Everybody Should Welcome Nationalizing AI

Key Points:

• Senator Bernie Sanders has proposed creating a sovereign wealth fund by nationalizing half the stock of major AI companies, arguing that since AI is built on collective human knowledge, its wealth should benefit humanity.
• The proposal responds to concerns from tech executives about AI-driven automation potentially destroying many jobs, suggesting that if AI harms workers, the industry should share profits to support those affected.
• Libertarian property rights theories, particularly those inspired by John Locke, may support collective claims to AI-generated wealth, likening it to communal labor that justifies shared ownership.
• Critics who reject libertarianism argue that questions of property distribution should prioritize equality and dignity, making partial or full nationalization of AI firms a compelling solution to prevent capitalist exploitation.
• Despite some leftist calls to dismantle AI infrastructure, the article contends that technology will persist and that collective control offers the best chance to ensure AI benefits society broadly rather than exacerbating inequality.