OpenAI has discussed giving the U.S. government a 5% ownership stake in the company as part of a broader proposal to let Americans share in the financial gains from artificial intelligence, according to a report published Thursday.
CNBC reported that the talks remain preliminary and are part of a wider idea that could involve similar arrangements with other major U.S. artificial intelligence companies. No final agreement has been reached, and any such deal would likely face legal, political and congressional hurdles.
OpenAI, the company behind ChatGPT, has become one of the most valuable private technology companies in the world. Based on a March funding round that valued the company at roughly $852 billion, a 5% stake would be worth about $42.6 billion.
The proposal comes as President Donald Trump has made American leadership in artificial intelligence a central priority of his administration. Trump has also shown a willingness to use federal power more directly in strategically important industries. In August, the federal government acquired a 10% stake in Intel through an $8.9 billion investment, a move the administration described as part of a broader effort to strengthen U.S. semiconductor production.
OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman has argued that the public should benefit financially from the growth of artificial intelligence, particularly as the technology raises concerns about job losses, national security and the concentration of wealth in a small number of companies. Under the reported proposal, OpenAI and other leading AI firms would set aside equity for a fund modeled in part on the Alaska Permanent Fund, which invests oil-related revenue and distributes dividends to state residents.
OpenAI outlined a similar concept in an April policy paper, calling for a public wealth fund that would give Americans a stake in AI-driven economic growth, including those who do not own stocks or other financial assets.
The idea reflects a growing debate in Washington over how to manage the economic effects of artificial intelligence. Supporters of a public stake argue that AI could generate enormous wealth while disrupting industries across the economy. Giving the public a share of that wealth, they argue, could reduce political resistance and help ensure that the benefits of the technology are not limited to investors, executives and large technology companies.
But the proposal could also draw criticism from both sides of the political spectrum. Some free-market conservatives are likely to object to the federal government taking ownership stakes in private companies. Others may worry that government ownership could create conflicts of interest, especially if regulators are responsible for overseeing companies in which the public has a financial stake.
The discussions come as OpenAI and rival Anthropic face increasing federal scrutiny over the release of advanced AI models. According to the report, government reviews have delayed the rollout of some advanced systems. The White House also reportedly asked OpenAI last month to limit access to its upcoming GPT 5.6 model to a group of government-approved partners because of concerns about its capabilities.
Anthropic said Tuesday that U.S. officials had removed export controls on its latest models after negotiations with the government.
Both OpenAI and Anthropic are also preparing for possible public listings, which would open their shares to ordinary investors and bring more transparency to their financial performance. The reported equity proposal could become part of a larger political settlement over how the federal government, private companies and the public share in the next stage of AI development.
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