OpenAI is holding early-stage discussions to grant a 5% equity stake to the United States government, according to a report from The Guardian.
The move comes as artificial intelligence developers seek to improve relations with President Donald Trump's administration.
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Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman proposed the plan, suggesting that granting the American public a financial interest is an optimal method to distribute the economic advantages generated by AI technology.
The conceptual framework would involve other major domestic AI companies contributing similar ownership percentages to a public investment vehicle.
Regulatory Context and Political Engagement
The initiative emerges amid intensifying regulatory oversight from Washington.
A recent national security directive temporarily forced Anthropic to suspend access to its newest models for foreign nationals.
Altman has discussed the public ownership structure directly with President Trump, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, and Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders.
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Sanders has advocated for an independent sovereign wealth fund.
OpenAI noted that the fund could provide "every citizen – including those not invested in financial markets – with a stake in AI-driven economic growth."
The distribution proposal draws comparison to the Alaska Permanent Fund, which uses state oil revenues to pay dividends to citizens.
Implementing such a plan nationally would require congressional legislation.
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Both OpenAI and Anthropic are currently preparing for initial public offerings on the US stock market, with financial investors estimating potential valuations for each firm to exceed $1 trillion.
