As artificial intelligence begins to reshape the global economy, OpenAI is now stepping beyond technology and into policy—calling for sweeping structural changes to manage the disruption AI is expected to bring. In a new policy paper titled Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age, the company outlines a series of proposals aimed at addressing what it describes as the risk of “jobs and entire industries being disrupted” by advanced AI systems.

At the center of the proposal is the idea of a public wealth fund tied directly to the growth of AI. OpenAI suggests that governments and AI companies should collaborate to invest in long-term assets linked to the AI economy, with returns distributed back to citizens. The concept reflects a shift in thinking—from simply taxing income to ensuring that the economic upside of AI is shared more broadly across society.

The paper also signals a potential rethink of how work itself is structured. OpenAI recommends that governments incentivize companies to experiment with four-day workweeks without reducing pay, supported by “benefits bonuses” tied to productivity gains driven by AI tools. The underlying premise is clear: if AI significantly boosts output, those gains should translate into more free time and improved quality of life—not just higher corporate profits.

Perhaps the most controversial element is the suggestion of taxing automated labor. As AI systems increasingly replace or augment human work, OpenAI argues that current tax systems—largely dependent on labor income—may become outdated. The proposal calls for a shift toward taxing corporate income, capital gains, and AI-driven productivity, effectively redistributing value created by machines rather than workers.

Beyond labor and taxation, the paper also highlights a critical infrastructure challenge: energy. OpenAI warns that the rapid expansion of AI data centers is already placing significant strain on electricity grids and calls for accelerated investment in energy infrastructure to support the next generation of AI systems. This reflects a growing reality—AI is not just a software revolution, but a physical one, consuming vast amounts of power and resources.

Taken together, OpenAI’s proposals represent an early blueprint for how societies might adapt to the economic consequences of advanced AI. Whether through wealth redistribution, shorter workweeks, or new forms of taxation, the message is clear: the intelligence age will require not just new technology—but entirely new economic models to support it.

Source: OpenAI – Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age (2026)
https://cdn.openai.com/pdf/561e7512-253e-424b-9734-ef4098440601/Industrial%20Policy%20for%20the%20Intelligence%20Age.pdf