WASHINGTON: OpenAI has reportedly proposed giving the US government a 5% equity stake in the company as it seeks to address growing political scrutiny over artificial intelligence, according to a report by the Financial Times cited by CNBC.
Based on OpenAI’s post-money valuation of approximately $852 billion following its latest funding round in March, a 5% stake would be worth about $42.6 billion.
The report said OpenAI Chief Executive Sam Altman discussed the proposal during early conversations with the Trump administration, arguing that the public should share in the financial benefits generated by advances in artificial intelligence.
According to the report, Altman suggested creating a dedicated investment vehicle through which the US government would hold a 5% stake in major American AI companies.
The proposal could also extend to other leading AI developers, including Anthropic, Google and Meta, which may be invited to contribute similar equity stakes to a sovereign wealth-style fund. However, it remains unclear whether any of the companies would support such an arrangement.
The White House, OpenAI, Anthropic, Google and Meta did not immediately respond to requests for comment on the reported proposal.
The discussions come as US officials increase oversight of leading AI companies over national security concerns and intensifying competition from rapidly advancing open-source artificial intelligence models developed in China.
According to previous CNBC reporting, conversations about government ownership stakes in AI companies have continued for more than a year, with Altman first raising the idea in early 2025. In April, OpenAI also proposed establishing a “public wealth fund” to distribute the economic benefits of artificial intelligence more broadly.
The Trump administration has previously taken equity stakes in private companies, including Intel and businesses operating in strategic industries, describing the investments as a way to make Americans partners in future technological growth.
