US Government to Acquire Stakes in Major AI Companies Amid Wealth‑Sharing Proposal

The Trump administration is weighing proposals that would give the federal government equity positions in leading artificial‑intelligence firms such as OpenAI and Anthropic. Options under discussion include direct share purchases, a sovereign‑wealth‑style fund that would hold the stakes, and a public wealth fund that could distribute annual dividends to citizens, similar to Alaska’s Permanent Fund.

Vice‑President JD Vance publicly backed the idea, saying the President likes the concept of “pre‑distribution” of AI‑generated wealth. Musk, in contrast, urged the White House to give cash directly to the public rather than manage a large stock portfolio. The plan draws on a recent precedent in which the government took a 10% stake in Intel under the CHIPS Act, investing roughly $8.9 billion. Analysts estimate that a 10% holding across the AI sector, valued at around $5 trillion, could amount to a $500 billion exposure.

Proponents argue the policy would prevent a future concentration of wealth and ensure broad-based benefits from a technology poised to become one of the largest wealth‑creating forces in history. Critics warn of potential conflicts of interest and the risk of discouraging private capital from further AI development.