Sanders proposes $7 trillion AI wealth fund funded by a one-time 50% stock tax on big AI firms

Bernie Sanders has proposed a $7 trillion AI sovereign wealth fund, funded by a one-time 50% tax on the stock of the largest AI companies and paired with a requirement to split AI and non-AI businesses. The plan would apply to any AI firm with $200 million in annual AI sales, and to new firms once they reach that threshold. Tesla could be swept in because of its ties to xAI and its approach to integrating AI into its business. The proposal is not viewed as likely to pass, but it puts fresh regulatory focus on vertically integrated tech-and-auto companies and has fueled debate over valuation models and compliance costs.