OpenAI Proposes AI Wealth Fund Instead of Universal Basic Income

As AI companies increasingly warn of mass automation and the potential end of work as we know it, ChatGPT maker OpenAI has published a sweeping policy paper outlining its vision for governance once “superintelligent AI” becomes a reality.

Beneath the paper’s polished rhetoric, however, lies a familiar argument: a powerful corporation advocating that the best path to support the world’s poorest is to let the wealthiest entities operate without significant constraints.

The paper begins with a paradoxical warning: superintelligent AI could concentrate wealth among a small number of companies. Its proposed solution, at a time when 48 million Americans already face food insecurity, is a “public wealth fund.” This fund would provide “every citizen” with a “stake in AI-driven economic growth.”

Rather than expanding established programs like universal basic income (UBI) or strengthening unemployment insurance, OpenAI’s proposal ties public wellbeing to the unpredictable cycles of the tech industry.

OpenAI’s proposal in detail:

• The fund would be co-managed by policymakers and AI companies.
• Investments would target diversified, long-term assets to capture growth in both AI firms and companies adopting AI technologies.
• Returns would be distributed directly to citizens, enabling broader participation in AI-driven economic gains, regardless of initial wealth or access to capital.

“Policymakers and AI companies should work together to determine how to best seed the fund, which could invest in diversified, long-term assets that capture growth in both AI companies and the broader set of firms adopting and deploying AI. Returns from the fund could be distributed directly to citizens, allowing more people to participate directly in the upside of AI-driven growth, regardless of their starting wealth or access to capital.”

Critics argue that this model is inherently risky. In a market economy, even with superintelligent AI, sustained growth is not guaranteed. A single poor quarter for tech companies could jeopardize the fund’s viability. The proposal also raises questions: What if AI systems disrupt financial markets? What safeguards exist if AI-driven growth fails to materialize?

Workers, the paper implies, need more than a wealth fund tied to tech profits. They require universal healthcare, reliable access to nutritious food, and stable housing—benefits not dependent on the stock market’s volatility. These are not utopian ideals but baseline standards already provided by most wealthy democracies, without the need for AI intervention.

Additional context: Inside sources have previously discussed OpenAI’s leadership, including claims about Sam Altman’s management style, as reported by Futurism.