OpenAI has reportedly floated the idea of giving the US government a 5% equity stake as part of early discussions with the Trump administration. The talks come as Washington moves toward a more hands-on role in overseeing advanced AI systems, and as OpenAI prepares for a potential stock market debut.
According to Cointelegraph, citing a Financial Times report, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has argued that giving the public a financial stake in the company is the best way to spread the economic gains from a fast-growing AI industry. The FT cited people familiar with the matter.
The timing is notable. OpenAI recently confirmed it had confidentially filed an S-1 for a US initial public offering, putting it alongside Anthropic as one of the major AI companies preparing for a Wall Street debut this year. Any deal with the federal government would carry significant implications for how the company is regulated and valued going forward.
The proposal goes beyond OpenAI. Altman’s idea would have several leading US AI companies each contribute a 5% equity stake to a shared public investment vehicle. Whether other major players would go along with it is far from certain. Anthropic, Google and Meta have not publicly signaled support for the plan.
Altman reportedly modeled the concept on Alaska’s Permanent Fund, which invests oil revenue and pays annual dividends to state residents. Applied to AI, the idea is that ordinary Americans would receive a share of the financial returns generated by the technology rather than seeing those gains concentrated among a small group of investors and employees.
The talks have reportedly involved some of the highest levels of the US government. Altman is said to have spoken with President Donald Trump, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. He also reportedly had conversations with Senator Bernie Sanders, who proposed a one-time 50% tax on the stock of the largest AI companies in June to fund a roughly $7 trillion sovereign wealth fund for Americans.
The proposal sits against a backdrop of growing federal interest in how the most powerful AI systems are built and deployed. The White House is preparing voluntary standards for frontier AI models, with guidance expected as early as next week. The standards would:
- Set security benchmarks for advanced AI systems
- Establish review timelines before new models are released
- Clarify who can access the most capable AI models, both in the US and internationally
The administration has already shown it is willing to intervene directly. It reportedly asked OpenAI to stagger the rollout of GPT-5.6 and temporarily placed export controls on Anthropic’s latest models over cybersecurity concerns before lifting those restrictions.
What makes this proposal significant is what it reveals about the political environment OpenAI is operating in. The company is trying to complete a major structural shift, converting from a nonprofit to a for-profit entity, while also preparing for an IPO and managing its relationship with a federal government that is increasingly interested in controlling who builds and benefits from AI. A government equity stake would give Washington a direct financial interest in the company’s success, which could cut both ways when it comes to regulation.
Cointelegraph reached out to OpenAI for comment but had not received a response at the time of publication.
