OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has reportedly offered the U.S. government a 5% ownership stake as the AI giant seeks to ease mounting political pressure in Washington.
Altman suggested that offering the public a financial stake in the company is the most effective way to share AI’s benefits.
A 5% stake would be valued at approximately $42.6 billion following the AI lab’s record-breaking funding round in March, which valued the company at $852 billion post-money.
Altman proposed a stake of that size in early talks with the Trump administration, as part of a larger plan in which Washington would hold 5% stakes in each of the top U.S. AI developers through a government entity, according to the report.
The proposed plan suggests that other U.S. AI firms like Anthropic, Google, and Meta might transfer similar stakes to the government via a sovereign wealth fund. However, it is uncertain if these companies would accept OpenAI’s proposal.
The reported negotiations come as major U.S. AI companies face pressure from Washington, as the administration becomes more cautious of cybersecurity risks linked to their models.
OpenAI’s disclosed proposal came after over a year of discussions about a potential government investment in the company, with Altman initially presenting the idea directly to the Trump administration in early 2025.
By CEO NA Editorial Staff
