The proposal is intended to give Americans a financial stake in the growth of artificial intelligence while helping to defuse increasing political scrutiny of the sector.
According to a Financial Times report, OpenAI has considered granting the U.S. government a 5% equity stake as part of a broader effort to strengthen relations with the Trump administration and widen public access to AI-driven economic gains.
The idea is still in its early stages and was reportedly introduced by CEO Sam Altman during preliminary discussions with U.S. officials, citing sources familiar with the talks.
The framework would involve major U.S. AI firms contributing similar equity stakes into a shared public investment vehicle, modeled on Alaska’s Permanent Fund, which distributes returns from state-backed investments to residents.
The initiative aims to address rising regulatory pressure by giving the public a direct interest in the industry’s long-term success. Discussions reportedly included senior Trump administration figures such as Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, though any proposal would likely require Congressional approval.
It remains uncertain whether other AI players, including Anthropic, Google, and Meta, would back the plan.
OpenAI declined to comment on the report. The San Francisco-based company also confidentially filed draft IPO documents with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission in June but has not set a timeline for going public, with some reports suggesting a delay until 2027.
