Experts Propose Nationalizing OpenAI and Anthropic to Save AI

Security technologist Bruce Schneier and data scientist Nathan E. Sanders propose that the Federal government of the United States should nationalize OpenAI and Anthropic if the companies fail in the financial markets. The authors argue that current for-profit business models for these AI labs are unsustainable because of high training costs, rapid model depreciation, and competition from open-source and Chinese alternatives.

Under the proposed model, these entities would be converted into public agencies or national labs under democratic control. This transition would prioritize the public interest over shareholder profit, with product innovation managed via Congressional oversight and compute operations treated as public utilities.

The authors suggest this shift would align AI development with democratic values, increase transparency, and reduce the environmental costs associated with corporate competition.