Trump administration weighs equity stake in OpenAI

The Trump administration is reportedly exploring an equity stake in OpenAI, a move that aligns with broader discussions about how the American public can capture value from artificial intelligence. On Friday, President Donald Trump spoke about striking deals where the American people can benefit from the success of AI. While the President did not name specific companies in his comments, the administration has indeed been discussing an equity stake with OpenAI, according to reporting from CNBC. When reporters on Air Force One asked Trump about the idea, President Donald Trump, the President of the United States, stated he has been talking to AI executives about “concepts where pieces could be given to the American public, where the American public essentially becomes a partner with the companies.”

According to Bloomberg, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has been discussing the idea of a government stake in major AI companies since early 2025. The equity from such a deal could be used to seed a Public Wealth Fund—which is a government-managed investment pool for citizens. OpenAI has previously outlined that proceeds from such a fund could be distributed directly to citizens, allowing more people to participate directly in the upside of AI-driven growth, regardless of their starting wealth or access to capital.

This potential policy shift mirrors a 10% government stake taken in Intel last year. Meanwhile, the concept of public ownership has also gained traction on the left. This week, Senator Bernie Sanders proposed a one-time, 50% tax that companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI—which is part of SpaceX—would pay in the form of stock. Sanders argued that the tax would give the public a direct role in determining the future of this technology and guarantee that the trillions of dollars potentially generated by AI are used to improve the lives of all of us.

The proposals have drawn sharp criticism from across the political spectrum. David Sacks, an investor and podcaster who co-chairs the President’s Council of Advisors on Science and Technology, posted that he can see why the senator’s idea resonates, including with many on the right. However, Sacks warned it would accelerate the corporate-government fusion we are already sliding toward—referring to the merging of interests between private corporations and the state. Meanwhile, former Microsoft employee Dare Obasanjo suggested that the groundwork is already being laid for a government bailout of OpenAI, characterizing the potential move as a government bailout.

Why it matters

The potential shift toward government equity in AI companies signals a new era of corporate-government fusion, where the state seeks to capture upside from private sector innovation for public benefit.