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OpenAI proposes offering US government a 5% equity stake
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has discussed giving the United States government a 5% ownership stake in the ChatGPT maker. Based on the company's latest private valuation of about $852 billion, the stake would be worth roughly $42‑50 billion. The proposal is being floated as part of a public‑wealth‑fund model similar to Alaska’s Permanent Fund, aiming to let Americans share in the economic gains from artificial intelligence.
Altman has reportedly spoken with members of the Trump administration, including President Donald Trump, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, about the plan. The discussions remain preliminary and would likely need congressional approval. The move is seen as a way for OpenAI to secure favorable regulatory treatment amid growing federal scrutiny of AI firms and to align with the administration’s broader industrial‑policy strategy, which has already seen minority‑ownership stakes in companies such as Intel and MP Materials.
If approved, the stake would become one of the largest federal equity positions in a private technology company, potentially setting a precedent for other AI developers to consider similar arrangements.