OpenAI explores giving the U.S. government a 5% stake

The Guardian reported that OpenAI is in early-stage discussions about giving the U.S. government a 5% equity stake in the ChatGPT developer. The proposal, attributed to Financial Times reporting, would use public ownership to improve relations with Washington and share AI-boom upside with citizens, potentially through an Alaska Permanent Fund-style vehicle. The talks are still conceptual, could require Congress, and may also ask other major AI developers such as Anthropic, Google, and Meta to consider similar public stakes.

Key details: The talks concern a possible 5% U.S. government stake in OpenAI, The proposal is still conceptual and could require congressional action, Sam Altman has reportedly discussed public ownership with Trump administration officials and Senator Bernie Sanders.

Why it matters: Public equity talks would turn frontier AI governance into a direct wealth-sharing and political-legitimacy issue, not just a safety or export-control debate.