Policy Snapshot
Giving citizens a direct ownership stakes in AI infrastructure via equity stakes
Scenario
Gradual
Augmentation
All Scenarios
Rapid
Automation
Scope
Near Term
(Volatility Risks)
Medium Term
(Transition Risks)
Long Term
(Structural Risks)
Governance Level
Local
National
International
Target
Entrepreneurs
Displaced Workers
Primary Actor
Governments
Private Actors
Increased Corporate Taxation
A coordinated international tax regime that raises effective corporate tax rates on the largest, most profitable multinational enterprises.
What it is:
A progressive global corporate tax would address two fiscal challenges posed by transformative AI: (1) a shift from highly-taxed labor income (34.9% average OECD rate) to lower-taxed capital and corporate profits (20.2% statutory rate), and (2) the concentration of economic growth among multinational "superstar firms" that employ sophisticated tax minimization strategies to achieve effective rates around 15-16%. Academic studies estimate that around 40% of global corporate profits are still being shifted offshore, costing governments between 100 and 240 billion dollars annually.
Recommended Reading:
Deric Cheng, Anna Schuh
A Progressive Global Corporate Tax For the Age of AI
November 2025
Cheng and Shuh propose building a progressive corporate tax by expanding the OECD's BEPS 2.0 (Base Erosion and Profit Shifting) framework. Their approach would raise both the global minimum tax rate for the largest multinationals (currently 15% under Pillar Two) and increase the share of residual profits allocated to market jurisdictions from 25% to potentially 30-50% under Pillar One.
Real-world precedents:
Over 140 countries in the OECD BEPS Inclusive Framework have committed to coordinated taxation rules, including Pillar One (anti-profit-shifting measures) and Pillar Two (15% global minimum tax for firms with €750M+ revenue). However, BEPS 2.0 is currently stalled due to U.S. non-participation under the Trump administration, illustrating the substantial challenges involved in global tax coordination.
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