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OpenAI has discussed giving the US government a 5 per cent equity stake as part of a broader proposal aimed at easing regulatory hurdles and aligning the country’s leading artificial intelligence companies more closely with Washington, the Financial Times reported on Thursday.
The proposal comes as the ChatGPT maker seeks to navigate growing political scrutiny over advanced AI development under President Donald Trump’s administration.
According to the report, OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman has argued that giving the public a financial stake in the company would allow Americans to share in the economic gains expected from artificial intelligence. Altman reportedly suggested a 5 per cent stake during early discussions with the administration.
Altman has held talks with President Trump, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent about the idea of public ownership in OpenAI, the report said.
The proposed arrangement would not be limited to OpenAI. The report said the company has discussed a framework under which other leading US AI developers would also hand over a similar 5 per cent stake to the federal government, although it remains unclear whether rival companies would be willing to support such a model.
AI firms under growing Washington scrutiny
The reported discussions come at a time when Washington is stepping up oversight of frontier AI companies amid concerns over national security, economic competitiveness and the rapid pace of technological development.
According to the Financial Times, both OpenAI and its chief rival, Anthropic, have recently seen the release of their most advanced AI models delayed by increased US government scrutiny. The report added that some Republicans and advisers within the Trump administration favour tighter regulation of the fast-growing sector.
OpenAI has been at the centre of policy debates in Washington as governments worldwide race to establish rules for generative AI while seeking to preserve innovation and maintain a competitive edge against China.
A new model for public ownership?
If implemented, the proposal would represent an unprecedented shift in the relationship between the US government and private AI companies.
Rather than relying solely on regulation, the model would make the federal government a minority shareholder in some of America’s most valuable AI firms, potentially giving taxpayers a direct financial interest in the industry’s future growth.
The proposal also reflects Altman’s long-standing argument that the economic benefits of artificial intelligence should be shared more broadly. While he has previously advocated mechanisms to distribute AI-generated wealth, including ideas such as universal basic income, a direct government equity stake would mark a significant departure from existing public-private partnerships in the technology sector.
It remains unclear whether the Trump administration is actively considering the proposal or whether other leading AI companies would support such an ownership structure.
