OpenAI Proposes 5% US Stake Amid Public AI Backlash

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman is in active discussions with the Trump administration about the US government acquiring a 5 percent stake in the artificial intelligence company, according to insider sources who spoke with the Financial Times.

The talks remain in early stages, but Altman has framed the proposal as a way to give the American public a financial stake in AI's economic benefits. President Trump reportedly supports the concept and has approached other major AI firms including Google and Meta with similar proposals, though neither company has publicly endorsed the idea or confirmed the discussions.

Why it matters

With 70 percent of Americans opposing AI data centers in their communities and half the population more concerned than excited about AI technology, tech companies face a genuine public relations crisis. How much ownership stake the public receives—and who controls voting rights—will determine whether Americans see AI profits flow to shareholders or citizens, and whether the public gains meaningful oversight over decisions that could reshape the economy and labor market.

The wealth fund model

OpenAI has proposed creating a sovereign wealth fund modeled on Alaska's Permanent Fund, which invests oil revenues in stocks and distributes dividends to state residents. In a spring blog post, OpenAI argued that an "AI-led future" requires "new approaches that give people durable stakes in the systems creating value."

Altman has met with Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Senator Bernie Sanders to discuss the concept, according to the Financial Times report.

Sanders demands more

Senator Sanders has made clear that a 5 percent stake falls far short of adequate public ownership. Last month, Sanders introduced legislation calling for a one-time 50 percent tax on leading AI firms' stock, which he estimates would generate approximately $7 trillion.

Sanders' plan would either distribute funds as direct payments to Americans or invest in healthcare, education, and housing programs. More significantly, his proposal includes creating an Independent Commission for Democratic AI with voting shares that could block corporate decisions harmful to the public.

"The public has got to have a significant seat at the table to make sure that terrible things do not happen to ordinary people, and that in fact, AI benefits ordinary people, not hurts them," Sanders told the Associated Press.

Sources familiar with Sanders' discussions with Altman described the two sides as "far apart" on appropriate ownership levels.

The regulatory backdrop

AI companies are navigating intensifying public skepticism while arguing that excessive regulation could undermine America's competitive position against China. Recent Pew Research Center data shows negative views about AI's pace of advancement span age groups, including younger adults.

Implementing any ownership stake for the US government would likely require Congressional action to establish the legal mechanisms, setting up a potential legislative battle between OpenAI's minimal-stake approach and Sanders' far more aggressive taxation and oversight framework.

Meta has declined to share frontier AI models with government officials even for voluntary safety testing, the New York Times reported last week, suggesting not all major players share Altman's willingness to cede any ownership or control.

The Financial Times first reported these details about the ongoing negotiations.