Jensen Huang floated AI tokens as part of engineers' compensation. Sam Altman says they could one day be a form of universal basic income. (www.businessinsider.com)

Nvidia CEO Jensen Huang has emphasized the need for companies to allocate substantial AI token budgets to engineers, highlighting tokens as a key factor in driving productivity within tech roles. During his keynote at Nvidia's GTC 2026, he pointed out that tokens—numerical representations of inputs used in large language models—are now a hot topic in recruiting in Silicon Valley. With token usage tied to the cost structure of AI services, Huang suggests that engineers equipped with tokens will be incentivized to produce more. Expanding on this concept, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman proposes a visionary model where AI tokens could eventually power a form of universal basic income. He envisions a future where individuals may own a portion of AI compute capacity, allowing them to utilize, trade, or donate these resources, akin to a utility. This model hinges on the establishment of robust AI data centers, referred to by Huang as “token factories.” However, concerns are emerging regarding the rapid escalation of AI operational costs, as reflected in comments from venture capitalist Chamath Palihapitiya, who noted that despite high expenses, revenue gains have not kept pace. As the conversation around AI tokens evolves, it raises critical questions about sustainability and the broader implications for society and the economy.