OpenAI proposes giving US government 5% stake as AI scrutiny intensifies: Report
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OpenAI has discussed giving a 5% equity stake to the U.S. government as part of a proposal aimed at easing political resistance to artificial intelligence and ensuring Americans share in the economic gains from the technology, the Financial Times reported, citing people familiar with the discussions.
According to the report, the proposal is part of early discussions between OpenAI and the administration of U.S. President Donald Trump. Chief Executive Sam Altman and other OpenAI executives have suggested that the country’s leading AI developers could each allocate a 5% stake to a public investment vehicle modelled on the Alaska Permanent Fund, which distributes annual dividends to Alaska residents from oil revenues while also supporting the state’s budget.
The Financial Times said the proposal would extend beyond OpenAI, with the company suggesting that other major U.S. AI firms also contribute similar stakes to the vehicle. However, it remains unclear whether those companies would support such an arrangement.
The discussions come as AI companies face growing political scrutiny in Washington over the rapid development of advanced models, their potential misuse and concerns over whether the financial benefits of the AI boom will be widely shared.
The report said the talks remain at an early stage and any such arrangement could ultimately require approval from the U.S. Congress.
The proposal also aligns with broader ideas being discussed in Washington around public participation in AI-driven wealth creation. Last month, Trump said he was exploring options to give Americans a stake in leading AI companies amid concerns that the sector’s expected profits could become concentrated among a handful of firms and investors. Separately, OpenAI has advocated creating a “public wealth fund” to invest in AI companies and distribute returns to citizens, while Anthropic has floated the idea of a “digital dividend” funded through taxes on the AI industry.
OpenAI was valued at about $852 billion following its latest funding round, making a 5% stake worth more than $42 billion at current valuations. If implemented, the proposal would mark one of the most significant attempts yet to directly link the financial upside of artificial intelligence with public ownership at a national level.