US artificial intelligence sovereign wealth fund sees surge in support as AI job losses mount (www.techradar.com)

A recent national survey has revealed that 69% of Americans support a proposal to establish a sovereign wealth fund that would require AI firms to transfer half of their stock into the fund. Spearheaded by Senator Bernie Sanders, this initiative aims to redistribute the vast wealth generated by the booming AI industry—over $27 trillion in market value since late 2022—back to working-class Americans. The proposed fund is seen as a mechanism to support new infrastructure and future investments that would alleviate the impacts of AI-related job losses, which could potentially affect up to 15 million workers in the coming decade. The survey also highlighted overwhelming support (89%) for mandatory public disclosure of internal safety testing results by AI companies, underscoring the demand for transparency within a rapidly evolving sector. As AI technologies continue to revolutionize industries, they are also contributing to significant job displacement, with reports indicating that layoffs in the tech sector, particularly those attributed to AI adoption, are expected to escalate dramatically. The bi-partisan Ratepayer Protection Act is being considered to ensure that AI companies contribute fairly to the energy costs associated with operating data centers, further emphasizing the growing need for a balanced approach to the economic changes driven by AI advancements.