OpenAI in talks to offer US government 5% stake, FT reports

By Seo Ji-yeon, The Herald Business

OpenAI is in discussions with the Trump administration about offering the US government a 5 percent stake in the generative AI company, the Financial Times reported Wednesday.

According to multiple sources, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has argued that the most effective way to share AI profits with the public is for the government to hold an equity stake. He proposed offering roughly 5 percent during early talks with the Trump administration.

Altman has discussed the matter with President Donald Trump, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, sources said.

The proposal is seen as an effort both to deepen OpenAI's relationship with the federal government and to blunt political criticism that the AI industry's enormous profits are concentrated in the hands of a few companies.

The discussions have also touched on the possibility of other major AI companies — including Anthropic, Google and Meta — offering the government similar-sized stakes. However, it has not been confirmed whether those companies have agreed to participate.

A sovereign wealth fund modeled on Alaska's Permanent Fund is being considered as a vehicle for returning to the public any income generated by the government's holdings.

The Alaska Permanent Fund invests oil revenue and distributes a portion of the returns as dividends to state residents.

The FT noted, however, that the discussions remain at an early stage and that any actual implementation would likely require an act of Congress.