Donald Trump proposes US government acquire equity in AI firms

President Donald Trump announced that the United States should obtain shareholdings in major artificial‑intelligence companies so the public can benefit from the sector’s rapid growth. Speaking from the Oval Office, he said he will meet with the top 12‑15 AI executives to discuss a plan for firms to "give something back to the public" and suggested that the government could later distribute the shares to American citizens. Trump expressed confidence that the companies would accept the proposal and that it would boost both public wealth and his popularity.

The proposal follows earlier remarks by Trump about AI equity and comes amid broader political discussion, including Senator Bernie Sanders’ call for a 50 % tax on AI firms payable in shares. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and White House officials have reportedly been in talks for over a year about mechanisms that would allow the government to obtain or receive benefits from AI companies.