As artificial intelligence advances at breakneck speed, industry leaders are grappling with the societal consequences of deploying these technologies. Sam Altman, co-founder and CEO of OpenAI, has released a comprehensive document proposing a set of recommendations—an 'AI New Deal'—to prepare society for the rise of superintelligence, which the company defines as “AI systems capable of outperforming the smartest humans even when they are assisted by AI.”
Key Pillars of the AI New Deal
Altman’s proposal rests on several transformative ideas. First, he calls for establishing a public wealth fund in partnership with AI companies, giving every citizen a direct stake in the fund. The fund would invest in other tech and AI firms, allowing citizens to benefit from the productivity surge driven by AI adoption. This model aims to distribute the gains of AI broadly rather than concentrating them among a few corporations.
Second, Altman argues for a shift in tax focus from labor to corporate profits. As companies reduce payrolls, social benefits such as Social Security and Medicare—which rely on payroll taxes—could be threatened. By taxing corporate profits instead, the government can sustain these critical programs. This idea has also been endorsed by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei and former presidential candidate Andrew Yang.
Third, Altman proposes reducing the standard work week to 32 hours without a pay cut, while increasing contributions to retirement and healthcare funds. As AI boosts productivity, workers should share in the benefits through reduced hours and enhanced social protections. The document also calls for making AI a right, similar to electricity and the internet, ensuring everyone has basic access to AI tools. Additionally, robust safety nets should be implemented to support workers displaced by automation.
Broader Implications and Parallel Proposals
Altman’s concerns extend beyond economic shifts. He warns that superintelligence could be weaponized for cyberattacks and biological threats, including engineering new pathogens. He told Axios that he wants “the debate of these issues really to start to happen with seriousness.”
Former presidential candidate Andrew Yang, who ran on a platform of universal basic income (UBI) in 2020, has also proposed taxing AI instead of labor. Yang’s idea of a $1,000 monthly UBI aligns with Altman’s call for a social safety net for displaced workers. These overlapping proposals signal a growing consensus among tech and policy leaders that AI’s disruption requires radical policy responses.
Potential Impact on the Crypto and Blockchain Industry
Altman’s vision of a public wealth fund and widespread profit-sharing could resonate within the cryptocurrency ecosystem, which has long championed decentralized ownership and equitable distribution. Some blockchain projects already experiment with token-based universal basic income models. If Altman’s proposals gain traction, we may see increased experimentation with tokenized social safety nets and decentralized autonomous organizations (DAOs) for managing collective wealth. Furthermore, the shift toward corporate taxation could affect how crypto companies structure their operations, especially those with large AI-related ventures.
The document does not explicitly mention cryptocurrencies, but the underlying principles of shared prosperity and digital rights align with blockchain’s ethos. As regulators and policymakers debate the AI New Deal, the crypto industry stands poised to offer technological solutions for implementing transparent, automated wealth distribution systems.