OpenAI is reportedly exploring a proposal that could see the US government acquire a 5 per cent stake in the company, as part of a broader effort to ensure Americans benefit from the rapid growth of artificial intelligence while addressing regulatory concerns surrounding the industry.

According to a report by the Financial Times, discussions remain at an early stage and no agreement has been finalised. The idea is said to have emerged from conversations involving OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman and senior officials in the Trump administration, including President Donald Trump, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.

Proposal Extends Beyond OpenAI

The report said the concept under consideration is not limited to OpenAI. Altman and other executives have reportedly suggested that major American AI companies could each contribute 5 per cent of their equity to a government-backed investment vehicle or sovereign wealth fund.

Companies reportedly included in the discussions are OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Meta. However, there is no indication that any of the companies have agreed to participate in such an arrangement.

The proposal is aimed at creating a mechanism through which the financial gains generated by the AI sector could be shared more broadly with the American public.

OpenAI Stake Could Be Worth Over $42 Billion

Based on OpenAI’s most recent post-money valuation of approximately USD 852 billion, a 5 per cent stake in the company would be worth around USD 42.6 billion.

The discussions reportedly follow a series of meetings between Altman and senior US government officials. The report also noted that Altman recently met Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders, who has separately advocated the creation of a sovereign wealth fund financed through a one-time 50 per cent tax on shares of the country’s largest AI companies.

According to the Financial Times, one version of OpenAI’s proposal draws inspiration from the Alaska Permanent Fund, which invests state oil revenues and distributes annual dividends to residents.

Another option reportedly being considered involves the use of so-called “Trump accounts” or a similar investment structure that would allow American households to gain exposure to the growth of leading AI firms.

Public Wealth Fund Concept Has Been Discussed Before

The idea of using AI-generated wealth to benefit the wider public is not new for OpenAI. Earlier this year, the company published a policy paper advocating the creation of a “public wealth fund” to ensure that citizens without stock market investments could still benefit from AI-driven economic growth.

The paper suggested that returns generated by such a fund could eventually be distributed directly to the public.

Anthropic has advanced a similar concept, proposing what it described as “universal pre-distributive capital accounts” designed to support workers whose jobs may be most vulnerable to disruption from artificial intelligence technologies.

Regulatory Scrutiny Of AI Continues To Grow

The reported discussions come as the Trump administration increases oversight of advanced AI systems and their deployment.

According to the report, the White House has been reviewing the release plans for OpenAI’s most powerful models and recently requested that the company stagger the rollout of GPT-5.6. Under the proposal, access would initially be limited to a select group of trusted partners before a broader public release.

Anthropic has also faced regulatory intervention in recent months. The company temporarily suspended access to its advanced Fable and Mythos models after receiving a government order restricting foreign access on national security grounds.

Access to those models was restored earlier this week after the company addressed concerns raised by policymakers.

Mixed Reaction From Investors

The proposal has reportedly generated differing views among investors and industry observers.

Some investors regard the idea as largely symbolic and believe it is intended to strengthen relations with policymakers rather than serve as a genuine wealth-sharing initiative.

Others have expressed concern that government ownership in a leading AI company could affect competition and create a precedent that other countries may seek to replicate by demanding similar stakes in American technology firms.

While discussions remain preliminary, the proposal highlights the growing debate over how the economic benefits of artificial intelligence should be distributed and what role governments should play in overseeing some of the world’s most valuable AI companies.

Long or Short, get news the way you like. No ads. No redirections. Download Newspin and Stay Alert, The CSR Journal Mobile app, for fast, crisp, clean updates!

App Store –  https://apps.apple.com/in/app/newspin/id6746449540 

Google Play Store – https://play.google.com/store/apps/details?id=com.inventifweb.newspin&pcampaignid=web_share