The Trillion-Dollar Ask

OpenAI is preparing for a $1 trillion IPO. SpaceX is targeting 2026. These companies are valued on future potential, not current profit. It's nice to be rewarded for the insights you offer and your potential.

As a user of AI across multiple platforms, I'd like the same deal.

I'd like my own IPO in "Class P" shares. A fractional stake paying me for my pattern—the behaviors and preferences that make me valuable to the algorithm. Rewarding every prompt, correction, doom scrolling sessions, and late-night rabbit holes.

Sweat equity for the digital age.

When AI companies announce trillion-dollar valuations, they're choosing to forget that their companies are built on user-generated value. The value is entirely dependent upon users freely adding a constant stream of inputs.

But, no more.

I'm no longer just a series of inputs and data.

I'm a participant.

Every product needs me to stay engaged, offer my patterns to make improvements, and choose not to churn when the next platform appears.

The markets are skeptical about these mega IPOs. Not about AI itself—the technology is obviously real. Big tech has invested more than $200 billion on infrastructure alone. The compute is being built. The models are improving.

The skepticism is about the real math.

What happens when the workforce required to deliver products worthy of mega IPOs are volunteers—fickle humans. Unpredictable users no one can guarantee will stay engaged and interested for the next 20 years so that the stocks keep rising.

Ask MySpace about that.

I like to think that new calculus isn't so much about fairness--it's more about sustainability. The current "user reward" model offers a free service (unless you subscribe to gain more access) and, occasionally, $4.33 from a class action settlement.

But I'm changing. I "know my value." Those late night YouTube recruiter videos are really making a difference.

If the markets get to ask some hard questions before they throw a trillion dollars at an LLM, I'd like to ask a few myself.

If tech products improve because users like me provide valuable feedback, refine prompts, flag hallucinations, and provide the kind of nuanced input that synthetic data can't replicate - what's that worth to you?

Would you agree that my contributions are no longer passive consumption?

What happens when the labor you need is distributed across millions of people who want a piece of success?

If tech companies need me to keep adding value to their product so they can ask for a trillion dollars-and the investors need proof that they can trust the pitch—then it's a great opportunity for me to negotiate terms.

Next: the workforce beyond a W-2.