OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is in active talks with the Trump administration about giving the US government a 5 percent stake in the leading artificial intelligence company. This is a much smaller share than what Senator Bernie Sanders had proposed.
Insider sources told the Financial Times that these discussions are in "early stages." Altman has argued that giving the public a financial stake in the company is the best way to share the benefits of AI.
Trump Administration Backs the Idea
President Donald Trump favors the idea, according to the same sources. His administration has reportedly been talking to several AI firms about similar arrangements. Other companies approached include Google and Meta.
The talks have been ongoing for more than a year, as Altman first proposed the idea in a policy document in April. The stake could be used to seed something like a "Public Wealth Fund," according to a source familiar with the discussions, as reported by CNBC.
Comparison with Sanders' Proposal
The 5 percent stake is far lower than what Senator Bernie Sanders had proposed. Axios reported that industry backers discussed a 1-5 percent stake, which is well below Sanders' proposed one-time 50 percent stock tax on AI firms, as noted by CNN International.
Our Take: A Strategic but Modest Move
In our view, this 5 percent stake is a strategic move by OpenAI to win over critics and secure government support. It gives the US a small but symbolic share in the company's future success. However, it is a far cry from the more aggressive approach Sanders wanted, which would have taken a much larger slice of the company's value. This deal, if it goes through, shows that the Trump administration prefers a cooperative approach with AI firms rather than a confrontational one. For the public, it means a small share of potential profits, but not a major say in how the company is run.
