America's Surprising AI Power Shift: What The Verasight Survey Tells Us

Nearly seven in ten Americans support a policy that would have sounded impossible a few years ago: forcing AI companies to transfer 50% of their stock into a public sovereign wealth fund. We dig into a new nationally representative Verisight survey and unpack what that headline number really means for AI policy, corporate power, and who gets to benefit from the AI revolution.

We walk through why support is so high, starting with economic anxiety in the middle of tech layoffs and growing worries about job loss, wages, and who captures AI-driven productivity gains. Then we get into the trust gap: many people believe AI firms design regulation to serve themselves, and only a minority trust leading AI developers more than the federal government to judge model safety. That shift helps explain why the public is reaching for structural solutions like public ownership, not just softer guardrails.

We also connect the sovereign wealth fund idea to the broader regulatory picture the survey reveals: massive support for mandatory public disclosure of AI safety testing, strong backing for federal authority to block risky AI releases, and a clear desire for accountability and transparency in AI governance. The takeaway is bigger than one proposal. Public expectations are moving fast, and they point toward a future where AI regulation is not only about innovation, but also about legitimacy and shared prosperity.

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Verasight Survey: https://reports.verasight.io/reports/june-2026-ai-survey?utm_source=copilot.com 

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Transcript

Welcome And Why This Matters

Jim Kunkle 0:12

Welcome back to the Digital Revolution. I'm your host, Jim Kunkel, and today we're diving into one of the most surprising and frankly one of the most consequential findings in recent AI policy research.

A Shockingly Popular AI Proposal

Jim Kunkle 0:27

A new nationally representative survey from Verisight has revealed something few policymakers expected. A strong majority of Americans support forcing AI companies to transfer 50% of their stock into a public sovereign wealth fund. Yes, forcing them. And yes, half of their ownership. This isn't a fringe idea. It's not a niche activist proposal. It's a mainstream sentiment emerging from the American public at a moment when AI is reshaping the economy, the workforce, and the balance of power between citizens and corporations. Today we're going to unpack what this survey actually found, why the numbers are so striking, and what they tell us about the future of AI governance in the United States.

The 69% Number And Partisan Test

Jim Kunkle 1:25

The headline number. The result? 69% said yes. Nearly seven in ten Americans support a policy that would fundamentally restructure ownership of the most powerful technology companies in the world. Even more interesting, when the policy was explicitly tied to Senator Bernie Sanders, who introduced the American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act, support dipped only slightly, landing at 64%. That means the idea has traction across political lines, even when framed through a partisan lens. In a polarized era, that level of consensus is rare, and it signals something deeper. Americans are rethinking who should benefit from the AI revolution.

Three Reasons Support Surges

Jim Kunkle 2:26

Why support is so high? VeraSite's data points to three major forces driving this surge in support. Number one, economic anxiety and tech layoff. The survey was conducted during a wave of layoffs across the tech sector. Workers see AI driving corporate profits, but not necessarily protecting jobs or wages. People are asking if AI is generating enormous wealth, why isn't that wealth reaching the public? Number two, distrust of AI companies. Verisite found that forty three percent of Americans believe AI firms design regulations to benefit themselves, not the public. Only 30% trust leading AI developers more than the federal government to judge model safety. That's a remarkable reversal of the usual government versus tech trust dynamic. three, a desire for public participation in AI wealth. Ben Leff, Verisight's CEO summarized the mood perfectly. Americans want accountability, safety, and a way for all Americans to participate in the economic benefits of AI. The sovereign wealth fund concept resonates because it promises exactly that, a public stake in the upside of AI.

Oversight Demands Beyond Ownership

Jim Kunkle 3:48

The bigger regulatory picture. The stock transfer proposal is part of a broader pattern in the survey. Americans aren't just concerned about economic fairness, they're demanding stronger oversight and transparency. Here are some standout numbers. eighty nine percent support mandatory public disclosure of all AI safety testing. eighty one percent support giving the federal government authority to block release of risky AI systems. Forty nine percent say the government, not companies, should have final say on safety standards. These are not soft preferences. They're strong assertive demands for public control over technologies that could reshape society. And when you combine these attitudes with the 69% support for a sovereign wealth fund, you get a picture of a public that is ready for bold structural interventions, not just incremental regulation.

What This Signals For AI Policy

Jim Kunkle 4:46

What this means for AI policy, the Vericite survey suggests that the American public is ahead of policymakers in imagining new models of AI governance. The idea of transferring half of AI firms' stock into a sovereign wealth fund would have been unthinkable a few years ago. Today it's not only thinkable, it's popular. This tells us several things. Americans see AI as a transformative economic force. They believe its benefits should be broadly shared, they want guardrails, transparency, and accountability, and they're open to structural solutions that redistribute power. For those of us working in digital transformation, intelligent technologies, and industry education, this is a moment to pay attention. Public expectations are shifting, and they're shifting fast.

Closing Takeaways And Share Request

Jim Kunkle 5:41

Closing thoughts The Verasite survey is more than a snapshot of public opinion. It's a signal, a warning, and perhaps even an invitation. Americans are ready to rethink how AI companies operate, who they serve, and who benefits from their success. They're asking for a future where AI's economic gains aren't concentrated in a handful of firms but shared across society. Whether policymakers act on this sentiment remains to be seen. But the public has spoken clearly. AI should serve the people, not just the companies that build it. Thanks for joining me for this bonus episode of the Digital Revolution. If you found this analysis valuable, share it with colleagues, friends, and anyone thinking seriously about the future of AI governance. I'm Jim Conkl, and I'll catch you in the next episode.