OpenAI proposes wealth fund for AI-driven job shocks

OpenAI has published policy proposals for an AI-driven economy, calling for a public wealth fund, faster power grid expansion, and trigger-based social support amid concerns about possible job losses and power-hungry data centers.

OpenAI proposes expanding benefits, job training, and even four-day workweek incentives when AI-driven wage or unemployment thresholds are breached.

The paper aims to start debate around future AI systems that could outperform top humans across many tasks.

🔗 Source: Bloomberg

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OpenAI’s grid concern tracks a projected jump in power demand

OpenAI wants faster power grid expansion as AI data centers push U.S. electricity use higher after about two decades of near-flat demand growth 1.
Data centers in the construction pipeline could add 140 GW of load if every planned facility finishes, compared with 760 GW of current U.S. peak demand, or nearly 20% more 1.
Supply chains are tightening, with new gas turbines, equipment used in gas-fired power plants and viewed as a near-term power source, now facing waits of up to seven years 2.
Average electricity prices in June 2025 ran 7% above 2024 levels, linked to higher demand and more utility spending on grid infrastructure 2.

AI data center construction is changing spending plans and utility deals

Corporate spending on AI, led by data center construction, drove over one-third of U.S. GDP growth in the first nine months of 2025 1.
Building new gas-fired power plants costs more, rising from about US$1,400 per kilowatt (kW) four years ago to over US$2,400 per kW today 3.
Utilities are asking large-load buyers such as big data center operators for 10- to 20-year power supply contracts, replacing terms that in early 2024 usually topped out at five years 3.
Markets have bid up likely beneficiaries, with an equally weighted basket of four independent power producer holdings cited by Voya Investment Management (an asset manager) up 70% over 12 months, while an equally weighted basket of five industrial holdings rose 90% 2.