By It’s not every day you see a Silicon Valley titan beg the government to tax, regulate, and redistribute the wealth generated by the exact technology they are racing to build.
But that is exactly what OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is doing. In a newly published 13-page blueprint titled “Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age,” Altman argues that AI “superintelligence” is arriving so fast—and will be so immensely disruptive—that the United States needs a massive new social contract. He equates the impending shift to the Progressive Era or the Great Depression, demanding a modern-day “New Deal” to keep society intact.
The Immediate Dangers
Altman isn’t just worried about long-term existential risks; he’s sounding the alarm on immediate threats that could hit within the next year.
- Massive Cyberattacks: Tech and government officials are increasingly terrified that soon-to-be-released AI models could orchestrate world-shaking cyberattacks. Altman admits this is “totally possible” and expects significant threats to emerge within the year.
- Biological Terrorism: While AI will undoubtedly help cure diseases, the same technology could be used by rogue nations or terrorist groups to engineer novel, deadly pathogens. According to Altman, this is no longer just a theoretical fear.
The Blueprint: 6 Wild Ideas to Fix the Future
OpenAI acknowledges their blueprint isn’t a final prescription, but rather a starting point to force a serious national debate. Here are the most provocative proposals from the document:
- A Public Wealth Fund: The most radical idea on the list. OpenAI suggests giving every American a direct financial stake in the AI boom. This nationally managed fund would be seeded partly by AI companies and would invest in assets that capture the massive economic growth driven by artificial intelligence.
- “Robot Taxes”: As AI hollows out traditional jobs, the income tax revenue that funds social safety nets like Social Security and Medicaid will plummet. Altman’s plan floats the idea of taxing “automated labor” and shifting the primary tax base away from worker payrolls and toward corporate income and capital gains.
- A Four-Day Workweek: If AI makes us wildly more efficient, workers should reap the benefits. OpenAI suggests incentivizing companies and unions to pilot 32-hour workweeks with full pay, transforming AI productivity into an “efficiency dividend” of free time.
- A “Right to AI”: The blueprint argues that access to AI will soon be as essential as electricity, the internet, and basic literacy. It calls for guaranteed, affordable access for small businesses, schools, libraries, and underserved communities.
- Containment for “Rogue AI”: In the document’s most chilling section, OpenAI outlines scenarios where autonomous, self-replicating AI systems cannot be easily recalled or shut down. Their solution? Strict government-coordinated containment playbooks.
- Auto-Triggering Safety Nets: Instead of waiting for politicians to debate relief bills during an AI-driven job crisis, the plan proposes “tripwires” tied to economic data. If AI job displacement hits a certain threshold, emergency benefits (like wage insurance or cash assistance) would automatically kick in, and then phase out once the economy stabilizes.
Altruism or Brilliant Strategy?
It’s fair to view this blueprint with a healthy dose of skepticism. Sam Altman has a vested interest in hyping up the power of his technology—it drives up OpenAI’s valuation and helps him raise more money. Furthermore, by drafting the playbook on how to regulate AI, OpenAI is making a calculated corporate move to shape the rules of the game before the government forces rules upon them. It positions OpenAI as the “responsible adult in the room.”
But regardless of whether you view this as genuine altruism or a masterclass in corporate PR, the underlying message is historic. The man pouring billions into creating superintelligence is looking at the horizon and warning us all: Capitalism, as it exists today, will not be enough to handle what is coming.
Check out the full video of Mike’s conversation with Sam, or explore the entire blueprint