- OpenAI has reportedly proposed giving the US government a 5 per cent stake in the company.
- The idea is said to be part of wider talks on sharing AI wealth and easing political concerns.
- The proposal could set a precedent for other leading AI companies if it moves forward.
OpenAI has reportedly proposed giving the US government a 5 per cent equity stake in the company, in what could become one of the most unusual partnerships between Washington and the artificial intelligence industry.
According to the Financial Times, the proposal forms part of early discussions between OpenAI and the Donald Trump administration as political scrutiny of AI companies continues to grow. If accepted, the stake would be worth about £31.9 billion ($42.6 billion) based on OpenAI's latest valuation of £639 billion ($852 billion) following its record funding round in March.
The reported proposal comes at a time when the US government is taking a more active role in regulating advanced AI, amid concerns over national security, cyber threats and growing competition from Chinese AI developers.
Sharing the AI boom
The Financial Times reported that OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman believes giving the public a financial stake in leading AI companies could help ensure that the economic benefits of artificial intelligence are shared more widely.
According to people familiar with the discussions, as quoted by the newspaper, Altman suggested creating a government-backed investment vehicle that would hold 5 per cent stakes in major US AI companies, rather than only OpenAI. The proposal is said to include companies such as Anthropic, Google and Meta, although it remains unclear whether any of them would support the idea.
The concept reportedly resembles the Alaska Permanent Fund, which invests state wealth and distributes annual dividends to residents.
OpenAI had also proposed creating a "public wealth fund" earlier this year to invest in AI companies and return some of the gains to citizens.
Politics, regulation and AI
The discussions are understood to have been taking place for more than a year. CNBC previously reported that Altman first raised the idea directly with the Trump administration in early 2025.
The proposal comes as Washington tightens its oversight of advanced AI systems. In recent weeks, the US government temporarily restricted exports of Anthropic's Fable and Mythos AI models before lifting the controls after the company agreed to additional security measures.
Growing concern over cybersecurity risks and the rapid progress of Chinese AI models has led policymakers to take a more interventionist approach towards frontier AI companies.
The Trump administration has also shown a willingness to take equity stakes in strategically important businesses. Last year, the government acquired a 10 per cent stake in Intel after investing £6.7 billion ($8.9 billion) in the chipmaker. In May, Trump reportedly said he should have negotiated for a larger holding.
According to the Financial Times, any proposal involving equity stakes in AI companies would likely require Congressional approval before it could become policy.
