OpenAI CEO Proposes Giving 5% Stake to US Government Amid Regulatory Pressure

OpenAI is in talks with the US government to transfer a 5% stake of its shares to the state, a move led by CEO Sam Altman aimed at easing rising tensions between major tech firms and Washington under President Trump. The unprecedented proposal seeks to create a wealth-sharing mechanism with the American public. Early reports indicate Altman and company leaders suggest a model where all major US AI developers would allocate a similar share of their stock to a sovereign public investment fund, akin to Alaska's oil fund that distributes dividends directly to citizens.

Altman has already met with President Trump, Commerce Secretary Wilbur Ross, and Treasury Secretary Steven Mnuchin to discuss the plan. He also met with Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders, who advocates for a national wealth fund financed by a one-time 50% tax on AI companies' shares, effectively nationalizing half their ownership. This initiative arises amid increasing regulatory pressure from the US government on tech companies, primarily due to national security concerns. Recently, the administration imposed restrictions on Anthropic's new AI models "Mythic 5" and "Fable 5" over fears of foreign access, temporarily taking them offline until Anthropic made security adjustments.

OpenAI's proposal marks a historic shift in Silicon Valley's relationship with government involvement in ownership structures, traditionally avoided by US tech firms. If realized, it could require special congressional legislation and fundamentally alter free market rules. The talks coincide with OpenAI and Anthropic preparing for initial public offerings (IPOs) with valuations nearing $1 trillion. Granting the government a stake before IPOs could provide critical regulatory protection but raises questions about free competition. Other tech giants like Google and Microsoft, developing their own AI models, maintain more complex public ownership and may not join this initiative.

While government involvement in technology is not new, examples include the internet's ARPANET origins and GPS development by the Department of Defense, the key difference is this initiative originates from the private sector as a political and economic safeguard against potential government restrictions. The discussions remain preliminary and theoretical but demonstrate AI companies recognize their power is too great to operate without direct state oversight.