OpenAI mulls 5% US government stake to share AI wealth with Americans: Report
OpenAI is reportedly considering offering the US government a 5% stake in the company. Finance Times. The proposal is still in the very early stages of discussion.
Such a move, if eventually adopted by the Trump administration, could create an unusual relationship between the government and one of the world’s leading AI companies, giving Washington financial benefit as it continues to oversee decisions on the rollout of OpenAI’s most advanced AI models.
OpenAI sees this idea as a way to enable the broader public to benefit from the economic gains generated by artificial intelligence. CEO Sam Altman he said before axios He said he supports the concept of a public wealth fund that would allow citizens to share in AI-driven prosperity.
The proposal is also intended to encourage other leading AI developers to adopt similar regulations.
One option being considered could involve placing the shares in Trump accounts or another investment vehicle that provides American households with exposure to the growth of artificial intelligence companies.
anthropic has adopted a similar concept in a recent policy document, advocating for “universal pre-distributive capital accounts” by prioritizing workers whose jobs are most vulnerable to AI disruption.
The discussions come as the White House continues to define the framework governing the public release of OpenAI’s most capable AI models. The approval process is still under review, with Altman previously describing the current regulatory approach as less than ideal.
Earlier this week, Altman also proposed creating a US-led international forum to create common AI regulatory standards, a mechanism that could allow government involvement in the industry without relying solely on direct regulation.
But some investors questioned the purpose of the offer. Many have argued that offering the government an ownership stake seems like a public relations initiative designed to show that Americans could benefit financially from the AI boom, even as automation raises concerns about job displacement. Axios.
Supporters point to the federal government’s investment in Intel as an example of successful strategic engagement. The government bought a 9.9% stake in the chip maker last August, and Intel’s share price has risen almost 400% since then, but those gains have also coincided with a broader rally in semiconductor stocks.
This investment was made under the CHIPS Act; however, any similar ownership arrangement involving AI companies would likely need to be approved through Act of Congress.
At a time when regulation has become one of the industry’s biggest challenges, questions remain about what practical benefits a government stake would provide beyond strengthening ties between AI developers and policymakers.
One investor who owns shares of both Anthropic and OpenAI said the proposal appeared to be more of a political strategy aimed at building goodwill with the administration than a mechanism to deliver meaningful long-term financial benefits to the American people. Axios.
