Who benefits after AI creates trillions of dollars in value? Debate over AI wealth distribution models heats up in the US

BlockBeats reported that on July 27, with artificial intelligence rapidly driving wealth growth, the United States is launching a policy debate on how "AI gains should be distributed." Many economists, tech researchers, and policymakers have proposed various solutions, including an AI sovereign wealth fund, public shareholding, data contributor revenue sharing, and reducing working hours.

U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders previously proposed that the public should hold half of the shares in the artificial intelligence industry. Although this suggestion is unlikely to become policy in the short term, it highlights a core issue: if AI creates trillions of dollars in additional economic value in the future, should ordinary people share in those gains?

Currently, the wealth generated by artificial intelligence has been quickly reflected in the rising market value of tech companies, but many American workers believe that while enterprises reap huge profits, communities and the public bear costs like data center construction and energy consumption. Recent polls show that only 27% of Americans support building data centers nearby, with 63% opposing them.

The market has proposed multiple paths for AI gains distribution. Among them, Microsoft Research scientist Jaron Lanier has put forward the "Data Dignity" model, arguing that paying compensation to contributors of AI training data allows individuals to profit from providing their data and content.

Some researchers suggest establishing a mechanism similar to music copyright revenue sharing, where AI companies invest a portion of their profits into a shared pool, with distribution based on the impact of data contributions on model performance. Opponents argue that AI models rely on millions or even billions of data sources, and accurately valuing an individual's data poses great difficulty.

Another proposal is to establish a public participation AI governance mechanism. The RadicalxChange Foundation believes that a new legal rights system could empower public organizations to obtain shares, remuneration, and governance rights in AI companies. Currently, how AI-generated wealth should be distributed has become one of the topics in U.S. technology policy and future election debates. As the artificial intelligence industry continues to expand, the controversy over "who owns the value created by AI" may further intensify.