OpenAI Discusses 5% U.S. Government Equity Stake

OpenAI is in preliminary discussions to grant the United States government a 5% equity stake in the company, according to reports from July 2026. The proposal, which would extend to other leading U.S. artificial intelligence developers, aims to ensure the public shares in the economic benefits of the AI boom and manage heightened regulatory scrutiny from Washington.

The talks involve OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, who has argued that providing a public financial stake is the most effective way to distribute the technology's upside. He has discussed the concept with President Donald Trump, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Altman has also recently spoken with Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders, who has advocated for legislation to create a sovereign wealth fund financed by taxes on major AI companies.

Under the proposal, leading U.S. AI companies, potentially including Anthropic, Google, and Meta Platforms, would each allot 5% of their equity to a government-backed investment vehicle modeled on funds like the Alaska Permanent Fund. This would invest the proceeds and could pay dividends to the public. The discussions are described as conceptual and in...