Open AI is said to be in initial discussions about offering a 5% stake in the Chat GPT developer to the US government as AI companies work on improving their relationship with Donald Trump’s administration.
According to the Financial Times, Open AI’s CEO, Sam Altman, believes that giving the US public a financial interest in the company is the most effective way to share the benefits of AI, based on insights from two anonymous sources close to the talks.
The plan would also suggest that other US AI firms provide a similar equity stake to the government, as reported by FT, though it remains unclear if companies like Anthropic, Google, and Meta would support this initiative.
Such an agreement could enhance industry relations with the Trump administration and might help secure political backing by redistributing wealth created by the AI boom among the public.
This proposal arises amid increasing scrutiny from Washington on American AI firms. Last month, Anthropic paused its latest model after being directed by authorities to limit access for foreign nationals due to national security concerns. This week, they announced customer access had been reinstated after addressing safety issues raised by the government.
Altman and other leaders at Open AI have proposed that each major AI player in the US should allocate 5% of their equity to an investment vehicle akin to Alaska’s Permanent Fund-a sovereign fund that channels US oil revenue into stocks while providing dividends to residents of Alaska, according to FT.
These discussions are still “conceptual” and in early phases; any arrangement may necessitate congressional approval for implementation.
Both Open AI and Anthropic have indicated in previous policy documents that there may be a need for a public or sovereign wealth fund going forward to distribute shares among citizens.
In April, Open AI suggested that a “public wealth fund” could give “every citizen – including those not invested in financial markets – with a stake in AI-driven economic growth.”
Open AI and Anthropic are gearing up for listings on the US stock market; some investors believe these moves could potentially value both companies at over $1 trillion (£751 billion).
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Altman has been discussing public ownership with Trump as well as commerce secretary Howard Lutnick and treasury secretary Scott Bessent, according to FT citing unnamed sources familiar with these matters.
He has also allegedly met recently with Democratic senator Bernie Sanders. The senator has been advocating for establishing a sovereign wealth fund managed by an independent commission funded through a one-time 50% tax on stocks held by leading AI firms.
Open AI was contacted for comments.
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