You’re conflating two things. Feudalism is like slavery: taking credit for someone else’s labor. Automation removes the need for labor. Automation has almost universally led to quality of life improvements, not revolution.

To start an AI company you generally don't need much. A few thousands in GPUs and you are good to go. If AI researchers feel they are underpaid there is literally nothing stopping them from starting a company themselves.

that is absolutely not true. I'm not sure where you are getting your information, but read anything from an angel investor. most AI start ups fail because they go into huge debt getting correct data and training models, which end up bankrupting them in the process with nothing to show for it

If you need to collect date then you are not only an AI company. And in that case a large company is indeed needed.

I don't see any problem with it, stock market is open for everyone.

Nowadays startups often delay going to the stock market, and remain private while they're growing fast. It's only when they are growing more slowly and the VCs want to get out that they go public.

This way, the average investor usually does not reap outsized benefits from the ride.