OpenAI Proposes Giving the US Government a 5% Stake

What happened

OpenAI is proposing to give the US government a 5% equity stake. CEO Sam Altman has discussed the idea with President Trump, Commerce Secretary Lutnick, Treasury Secretary Bessent, and Senator Bernie Sanders.

Context and impact

Altman argues that giving the public a financial interest is the best way to share AI's upside. At OpenAI's $852 billion valuation, 5% would be worth approximately $42.6 billion. According to the Financial Times, Altman hopes to extend the model to Anthropic, Google, and Meta, though those companies have not yet agreed. OpenAI's IPO is still planned for 2027 after Anthropic's expected public debut.

Details

• OpenAI valuation: $852 billion (after $122B funding round)
• 5% stake value for government: ~$42.6 billion
• Altman met with Trump, Lutnick, Bessent, and Sen. Sanders
• Proposed extension to Anthropic, Google, Meta (no agreement yet)
• Goal: align public interest with AI companies to reduce political backlash