OpenAI Eyes 5% Government Stake: Big Tech and Washington Collude Over AI Profits
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OpenAI is reportedly negotiating a plan to hand the U.S. government a 5% equity share, a move that could open the door to more government interference in the tech sector. The proposal, which echoes left-wing calls for a public AI wealth fund, would require congressional approval and raises questions about government overreach in private enterprise.
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. This arrangement mirrors proposals for other American artificial-intelligence firms to allocate shares to a public fund, a concept often pushed by progressives seeking to redistribute private sector profits.
CEO Sam Altman claims the structure could allow the public to share in the financial upside of AI development, but critics argue it’s another attempt to funnel private innovation into government coffers. A 5% share, valued at roughly $42.6 billion based on the firm’s latest $852 billion valuation, would give Washington a significant foothold in one of America’s most powerful tech companies.
The idea comes on the heels of President Donald Trump’s recent remarks about meeting AI executives to discuss ways for the public to benefit from industry growth. Meanwhile, the White House has pressured OpenAI to limit the rollout of its upcoming GPT-5.6 model to a small group of government-approved partners, raising concerns about bureaucratic control and stifling competition.
Altman and other OpenAI leaders have floated a model similar to the Alaska Permanent Fund, which invests state oil revenues and distributes dividends to residents—a system that critics say is ill-suited for the fast-moving tech sector. Implementing such a stake would require legislation, and it remains unclear whether other AI companies will accept this unprecedented level of government intrusion into private business.
