OpenAI has discussed the possibility of transferring 5% of its shares to the U.S. government, as the AI startup, valued at $852 billion, seeks to overcome political hurdles by securing financial support from the Trump administration, reports the Financial Times, writes UNN.
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Sam Altman, CEO of the company that created ChatGPT, argued that giving the public a financial stake in the company is the best way to share the benefits of AI, and proposed a stake of this size in the early stages of negotiations with the administration, according to two sources familiar with the discussions.
The proposed deal involves the transfer of similar stakes by other U.S. AI companies, although it is unclear whether other labs are willing to do so.
Transferring an ownership stake to the U.S. government could help strengthen good relations with the administration and would be an attempt to counter political pressure by distributing the wealth created by AI among the public, the publication notes.
AI labs are facing an increasingly complex environment in Washington, as the American public and politicians grow more concerned about the large-scale construction of data centers and the implications of AI for the labor market and cybersecurity.
OpenAI and its main competitor Anthropic recently had the release of advanced models delayed due to scrutiny from the U.S., while some Republicans and advisors to U.S. President Donald Trump advocate for much stricter regulation of the sector.
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The two competitors are also preparing for initial public offerings (IPOs), which will expand their shareholder base and bring significant profits to current investors, although OpenAI's IPO may not occur until next year.
Altman and other OpenAI executives have proposed that each leading U.S. AI developer allocate 5% of their shares to a fund like the Alaska Permanent Fund, a sovereign wealth fund that invests the state's oil wealth in stocks and pays dividends to the state government and residents.
These companies could include Anthropic, and even Google, Meta, and others, although it is unclear whether any of these groups will agree to OpenAI's proposal.
After public attacks on Intel's CEO, Trump supported the American chipmaker after the government received a 10% stake.
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According to sources, the "conceptual" negotiations between the government and OpenAI are at an early stage, and congressional action may be required to implement any deal. But the discussions point to a potential mechanism for distributing the financial benefits of the technology.
According to several sources familiar with the situation, Altman has actively negotiated with the administration on issues of state ownership, including with Trump, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
The OpenAI CEO also spoke with Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders in recent weeks. Sanders advocates for state ownership close to half of every U.S. AI company through a sovereign wealth fund.
Previously, OpenAI and Anthropic, in their economic policy proposals, suggested that mechanisms such as state or sovereign wealth funds may be needed in the future to distribute shares among the population.
In April, OpenAI proposed creating a "state wealth fund" that would "ensure every citizen, including those who do not invest in financial markets, a share in AI-driven economic growth."
The OpenAI Foundation, the company's nonprofit arm, stated in May that in a future where AI plays a leading role, "society will likely need new approaches that provide people with long-term stakes in the systems that create value," pointing to state or sovereign wealth funds.
"The goal is not only to support people through economic changes after decisions have already been made, but also to give them a stake and a voice in shaping how those changes occur," the foundation's blog post reads.
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