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WASHINGTON: OpenAI has proposed granting the US government a 5% stake in the company as it seeks to ease political pressure in Washington, according to the Financial Times.
The stake would be worth about $42.6 billion based on OpenAI’s latest valuation after its March funding round, which valued the company at $852 billion, the report said.
CEO Sam Altman reportedly argued that giving the public a financial share in AI development would be the best way to distribute its benefits, according to people familiar with the discussions.
The proposal was first raised in talks with the Trump administration and forms part of a broader idea under which the US government could hold similar stakes in leading American AI firms through a dedicated investment vehicle.
Under this framework, companies including Anthropic, Google and Meta could also contribute equivalent equity stakes, potentially forming a sovereign wealth fund-style structure managed by the government.
The discussions come amid growing scrutiny of US AI firms over cybersecurity risks and rising competition from cheaper Chinese open-source models.
Some firms have already faced regulatory pressure. Anthropic recently restricted access to its most advanced models before restoring them after addressing government concerns.
OpenAI has previously floated a “public wealth fund” to distribute AI-driven economic gains more broadly, while earlier reports said Altman first raised the idea with US officials in early 2025.
The proposal remains under discussion, with no agreement reached.