OpenAI unveiled a new policy framework, "Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age," that pushes governments to intervene in the rapid rollout of artificial intelligence. The paper warns that the transition to superintelligence could upend entire sectors and displace millions of workers, making job loss the most pressing concern.

To counteract that threat, OpenAI recommends a series of concrete measures. Central among them is the launch of short‑term, four‑day‑work‑week pilots that keep wages steady while maintaining output levels. The company proposes that governments and labor groups incentivize employers to test these compressed schedules, with the goal of turning higher productivity into more leisure time for workers rather than higher profits.

Four‑Day Workweek and Care Economy

The paper also outlines a broader "care and connection economy" that could absorb displaced workers. OpenAI points to sectors such as childcare, eldercare, education, health services, and community support as growth areas where human interaction remains essential. By expanding jobs in these fields, the company argues that AI can free people from repetitive tasks while preserving meaningful employment.

OpenAI’s vision hinges on the assumption that efficiency gains from AI will be redirected to workers, not just shareholders. It calls for policies that tie productivity improvements to wage stability and additional paid time off, rather than allowing firms to capture the entire upside.

Tax Shifts and Public Wealth Fund

Recognizing that AI could reduce the tax base derived from labor, the document suggests a rebalancing of fiscal policy. It urges governments to rely more on taxes levied on capital and on companies that profit most from automation. In practice, that could mean higher corporate taxes or new levies on AI‑driven profits.

Perhaps the most radical proposal is the creation of a public wealth fund. By pooling the surplus generated by AI‑enhanced productivity, the fund would distribute dividends to citizens, echoing the model of sovereign wealth funds but aimed at sharing the benefits of automation across society.

OpenAI frames these steps as essential to prevent wealth from concentrating in the hands of a few and to safeguard democratic institutions from the destabilizing effects of unchecked AI deployment. The company positions AI not merely as a set of tools but as a foundational layer of future infrastructure, one that demands coordinated, large‑scale policy responses.

Whether policymakers will adopt OpenAI’s blueprint remains uncertain, but the document marks a notable shift: a leading AI developer outlining how the technology should be regulated, taxed, and redistributed. The proposals, from four‑day workweeks to public wealth funds, illustrate a vision of an AI‑augmented economy that strives to benefit the many rather than the few.

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