OpenAI Discusses Possible US Government Stake

According to a media report in The Financial Times (FT), OpenAI has discussed a proposal with US President Donald Trump to hand the government a 5% equity stake. The proposal centres on giving the public a financial stake in AI through government ownership after CEO Sam Altman argued it is the best way to share the technology’s economic upside.

The plan would involve other leading US AI developers also allocating 5% of their equity, though it remains unclear whether they would support the arrangement. Altman is also said to have raised the idea with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and democratic senator Bernie Sanders. The discussions remain at a conceptual stage, and any agreement could require approval by Congress, the FT reported.

OpenAI and rival Anthropic have previously suggested that arrangements such as public or sovereign wealth funds may be required in the future to spread the economic benefits of AI. In an April policy proposal, the ChatGPT-maker called for a public wealth fund that provides every citizen, including those not invested in financial markets, with a stake in AI-driven economic growth.

In May, OpenAI’s non-profit arm explained that society will likely need new approaches that give people durable stakes in the systems creating value, adding that the goal is not only to support people through economic change after decisions have already been made, but to give them a stake and a voice in shaping how that change unfolds. The discussions come amid increasing US government involvement in AI policy.