OpenAI discussed giving US government a 5% stake: What it could mean for the future of AI

OpenAI has reportedly explored giving the US government a 5% ownership stake in the company as it prepares for a future public listing and faces growing political scrutiny over artificial intelligence. According to the Financial Times, the proposal has been discussed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman with senior officials in the Trump administration, including President Donald Trump, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The discussions are still in the early stages, and no agreement has been reached. The proposal has attracted attention because it would represent a new way of linking AI development with public ownership.

Why is OpenAI discussing government ownership?

According to the report, OpenAI believes the public should directly benefit from the value created by artificial intelligence. The company has reportedly suggested that leading US AI developers could each contribute 5 per cent of their equity to a special investment vehicle. The idea is inspired by Alaska's Permanent Fund, which invests state oil revenues and distributes annual dividends to residents.Altman has previously argued that AI could create enormous economic value and that ordinary people should share in those gains rather than leaving them entirely with private investors.

Why now?

The discussions come as AI companies face increasing pressure from policymakers. Governments around the world are raising questions about the rapid expansion of AI, including concerns over massive data centre construction, electricity demand, job displacement, cybersecurity risks and the safety of increasingly powerful AI models.OpenAI is also preparing for a public listing while investing billions of dollars in AI infrastructure. Those rising costs have led some investors to question how quickly leading AI companies can become consistently profitable. The proposal is still only under discussion and would likely require approval from the US Congress before becoming reality. Separately, Trump said in June that he planned to meet major AI companies to discuss whether the government should hold ownership stakes in leading AI firms to help address public concerns about the technology. Altman has also proposed creating a US-led international AI forum involving governments and independent experts to establish safety standards, coordinate oversight and reduce pressure for companies to race ahead without sufficient safeguards. If such a model were ever adopted, it could represent one of the biggest changes yet in how advanced AI companies are governed. For now, however, the discussions remain exploratory, and OpenAI has not announced any formal decision.