Marketplace Tech · Thursday, September 3, 2026
The idea of a 'token tax' on AI usage is being debated, with technology expert Bruce Schneier expressing doubts about its feasibility due to the evolving nature of AI models, such as those that can run on personal devices. Economist Joseph Stiglitz suggests focusing on closing corporate tax loopholes to offset potential revenue loss from reduced labor taxation.
“An AI agent doesn't pay income tax or Social Security Medicare. So where's the money going to come from instead?”
“Six months ago, I was in favor of a token tax. It was a great idea. Now I think it's not going to work because tokens in the cloud aren't going to be a thing anymore.”
“If we can close these big loopholes, force the corporations to pay their fair share, that will necessitate increasing the taxes on profits. All that will more than make up for the losses that you described.”