Washington, D.C. — OpenAI has reportedly discussed giving the U.S. government a 5% stake in the company as it faces growing political pressure over artificial intelligence profits, safety, and national security.
Reuters, citing the Financial Times, reported that CEO Sam Altman has discussed the idea with President Donald Trump, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Sen. Bernie Sanders. The proposal would mirror the Alaska Permanent Fund model by giving the public a share of value created by major AI companies.
A 5% stake would be worth about $42.6 billion based on OpenAI’s reported $852 billion valuation. The proposal follows a separate federal move to take a 10% stake in Intel, showing the Trump administration’s growing interest in government ownership of strategically important technology companies.
Supporters argue a public stake could help ensure Americans benefit from AI profits instead of leaving gains only to executives and investors. Critics may question whether federal ownership would create political pressure, favoritism, or conflicts as regulators oversee the same companies.
The plan remains preliminary, and it is unclear whether the White House will pursue it or whether rival AI companies would participate. OpenAI has not announced a finalized agreement.
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