OpenAI Discusses Possible 5% Government Stake Amid AI Policy Talks
OpenAI is reportedly negotiating a plan to give the U.S. government a 5% equity share, a proposal that could require congressional approval and mirrors ideas for a public AI wealth fund.
OpenAI is in early talks about granting the U.S. government a 5% ownership stake in the company, according to two sources familiar with the discussions, as reported by the Financial Times. The arrangement would be similar to proposals for other American artificial-intelligence firms to allocate comparable shares to a public fund.
CEO Sam Altman has said the structure could allow the public to share in the financial upside of AI development. A 5% share would be valued at roughly $42.6 billion based on the firm’s latest valuation of $852 billion.
The idea aligns with President Donald Trump’s recent remarks about meeting AI executives to explore ways for the public to benefit from industry growth. The White House has also asked OpenAI to limit the rollout of its upcoming GPT-5.6 model to a small group of government-approved partners.
Altman and other OpenAI leaders have suggested a model similar to the Alaska Permanent Fund, which invests state oil revenues and distributes dividends to residents. Implementing such a stake could require legislation, and it is not yet clear whether other AI companies support the concept.
