OpenAI has proposed giving the US government a 5 percent ownership stake in the company as a calculated move to reduce friction with the Trump administration and temper growing public skepticism around AI, according to the Financial Times.
The Pitch
CEO Sam Altman reportedly first floated the idea to President Trump early last year. His argument: granting the public a direct financial interest in OpenAI is the most effective way to broadly distribute the upside of the AI revolution.
Giving the public a financial interest in the company would be the best way to share the upside of AI. — Sam Altman, per sources cited by the Financial Times
The 5 percent figure was suggested by Altman himself, according to two unnamed people familiar with the discussions.
What the Stake Is Worth
- OpenAI's latest valuation: $852 billion
- 5% stake value: approximately $42.6 billion
- The stake would effectively make the US government — and by extension, American taxpayers — among OpenAI's largest shareholders
Strategic Context
The proposal arrives at a delicate moment for OpenAI. The company is navigating its contentious transition from a nonprofit structure to a for-profit entity, a move that has drawn legal challenges and public criticism.
Offering Washington an equity position would give the administration both a financial incentive to support OpenAI's growth and a political rationale to align with the company's ambitions — particularly as the US-China AI race intensifies.
Whether the Trump administration has formally responded to the proposal remains unclear. The talks, as described, appear to still be in early stages.
