OpenAI proposes handing Trump administration 5% stake. Heres why:

According to FT, Sam Altman has discussed giving the US government a 5% stake in OpenAI as the $ 852bn startup faces rising scrutiny from Washington.

Sams pitch: if AI creates enormous wealth, the public should own part of the upside.

OpenAI has already proposed a “public wealth fund” that “provides every citizen - including those not invested in financial markets - with a stake in AI-driven economic growth.”

The talks are early, may need Congress, and other AI labs have not agreed to mirror the idea.

Imho the real reasons are the following:

Regulatory insurance. A 5 percent stake would probably be cheaper than years of political gridlock, strict release rules, or a later special tax on AI profits.

IPO preparation. OpenAI wants to go public eventually. Having a US state as an indirect stakeholder could make political risks appear smaller to investors.

Model-release pressure. The article says OpenAI and Anthropic have delayed new frontier models due to US scrutiny. A public stake would be one way to turn Washington from an opponent into a co-beneficiary.

Data centers, energy, permits. AI is no longer just software. OpenAI needs power, land, chips, local permits, and political support. A government stake could help with infrastructure expansion.