OpenAI proposes public wealth funds and 100 GW grid expansion to manage AI economic impact.

OpenAI has released a sweeping policy blueprint proposing public wealth funds, expanded social safety nets, and accelerated electrical grid development to manage the economic disruption expected from artificial intelligence advancement.^[4][6] The 13-page document, titled "Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age: Ideas to keep people first," emerged as Congress prepares to debate AI legislation and represents the company's attempt to shape the policy debate around how AI wealth should be distributed and managed.^[4]

The policy proposals center on ensuring that ordinary people benefit from AI-driven economic gains. OpenAI advocates for a public wealth fund that would distribute cash to citizens, effectively giving them "a stake in AI-driven economic growth."^[6] The company also suggests mechanisms to let workers share in efficiency gains, including incentivizing employers to experiment with four-day work weeks and establishing rapid-response social safety net programs to address potential job displacement.^[4] These measures reflect CEO Sam Altman's belief that the scale of change from advanced AI is comparable to the Progressive Era and the New Deal, requiring innovation in policy alongside technological advancement.^[4]

Critically, OpenAI's recommendations extend beyond social policy to address the massive infrastructure demands driving AI development. The company is calling on the federal government to close the "electron gap" between the United States and China by installing 100 gigawatts of new electrical capacity on the grid each year, starting in 2026.^[1] To contextualize this urgency: China added 429 gigawatts of new power capacity in 2024, accounting for over half of global electricity growth, while the U.S. contributed just 51 gigawatts—roughly one-eighth of China's increase.^[3] OpenAI's own infrastructure buildout, including six Stargate data center sites under construction across Texas, New Mexico, Ohio, and Wisconsin, will require an estimated 20% of existing skilled trade workforces such as specialized electricians and mechanics.^[1]

To achieve these infrastructure goals, OpenAI recommends three key strategies: strengthening America's industrial base through manufacturing investment, unlocking more energy by removing or modernizing regulations, and funding workforce development.^[1] The company specifically suggests accelerating transmission buildout and permitting by shortening timelines for Clean Water Act and Clean Air Act certifications, and by leveraging AI itself to streamline the process.^[1] Meanwhile, OpenAI has committed to "paying our own way on energy," funding its own energy needs through customized solutions in each locality, including creating new dedicated power and storage solutions and investing in additional energy production capabilities.^[2] The company is also in advanced talks to purchase electricity from fusion startup Helion Energy, which counts Altman as one of its backers.^[5]

OpenAI frames these proposals as a starting point for wider discussion about governing the AI era. The company envisions that over time, this framework could evolve into an international structure similar to other multilateral institutions, giving public authorities visibility into frontier AI development and creating secure channels for sharing safety findings and emerging risks across countries.^[4] Altman has emphasized that being "a responsible steward of AI" means "more than just innovating through product — it means innovating through policy, too."^[4]