The policy paper comes at a time when OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is facing public scrutiny over his character and management style|World Economic Forum|CC BY-NC-SA 2.0
As concerns mount over AI taking over jobs and other aspects of society, ChatGPT maker OpenAI released a series of policy proposals aimed at keeping people first.
The blueprint comes at a time when the company and CEO Sam Altman are facing public scrutiny over OpenAI’s deal with the Pentagon, and Altman’s character and management style.
The 13-page proposal, titled Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age: Ideas to Keep People First, calls for a radical shift in global tax systems and labor laws.
It warns that institutions may lag if they don’t keep pace with AI growth and that policymakers must act now to address job displacement, national security threats, and the potential for AI systems to evade human control.
The company says that traditional payroll taxes, which fund critical programs like Social Security and healthcare, may collapse. To fill this gap, the proposal suggests funding these by increasing taxes on capital gains and corporate income.
OpenAI also suggests that the impending arrival of superintelligence—AI that surpasses human intellect—will require the world to change.
The company suggests that the government could:
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Encourage a shorter workweek and better benefits in AI-driven firms.
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Establish public wealth funds to distribute a stake in the AI economic growth to their citizens.
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Support displaced workers moving into healthcare and education.
Policy experts say the document correctly identifies AI as a structural economic challenge rather than just a technical one.