- The U.S. government is reportedly discussing a plan for AI firms to voluntarily cede a small equity stake to the public.
- OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has engaged in talks with Trump administration officials on this concept multiple times.
- Both OpenAI and Anthropic are nearing historic IPO filings, with valuations near a trillion dollars.
- This proposal aligns with broader legislative ideas, like Senator Bernie Sanders’ plan for a public fund.
- The Trump administration has shown a precedent for government involvement in business, such as taking a stake in Intel.
The U.S. government is considering taking a financial stake in leading AI companies, with officials holding talks with OpenAI regarding the proposal, according to a report from political news outlet Notus. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has discussed the idea with senior Trump administration officials on more than one occasion since the president’s second term began.
The reported plan would involve AI firms voluntarily offering a small stake to the government. This aims to more broadly distribute the economic benefits of AI technology to the American public. However, the rival firm Anthropic has yet to be formally included in these discussions.
Consequently, these deliberations coincide with impending landmark public offerings from both companies. Anthropic confidentially filed IPO paperwork earlier this year, while a submission from OpenAI is considered imminent. Their respective valuations stood at $965 billion and $852 billion in their last funding rounds.
Meanwhile, this governmental interest mirrors legislative efforts like one from Sen. Bernie Sanders. He plans to introduce a bill to transfer 50% of equity in top AI companies to a public fund, the Wall Street Journal reported. The Trump administration has shown a greater propensity for business involvement than past leaders.
For instance, the U.S. government acquired a 10% stake in Intel last year. President Trump has also routinely endorsed the company in his public comments and weighed in on other private sector matters.
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