Sam Altman’s Bold Proposal to the U.S. Government
Sam Altman, the founder and CEO of OpenAI, is reportedly contemplating a significant move. He may offer 5% of his company’s stock to the United States in a deal involving President Donald Trump, on the condition that other AI firms commit to doing the same, according to the Financial Times.
Altman recently had discussions with President Trump, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent about making OpenAI more accessible to the public.
He also engaged in a conversation with Senator Bernie Sanders, who has proposed that the government should hold public ownership stakes in AI companies—potentially as much as 50% ownership for U.S. taxpayers.
Altman seems to think that giving Americans a share in AI companies would help spread the benefits of the industry more broadly. But here’s where it gets interesting: he’s looking for competitors like Meta, Google, and Anthropic to also contribute 5% of their companies to public ownership.
Anthropic, the creator of an AI system called Claude, has recently rekindled its connection with the White House. Interestingly, they were just removed from a list that posed supply chain risks for the Department of Defense, indicating their improving relationship with the government.
Altman’s strategy appears to be about positioning OpenAI favorably with Trump and aligning with a growing group of American companies, as he seems determined to avert the challenges Anthropic has faced.
The Financial Times also pointed out Intel’s recent acquisition of a 10% stake by the U.S. government as a precedent. Since then, Trump’s relationship with the company has reportedly improved, despite past criticisms.
This approach isn’t new for Trump, as he has previously taken stakes in other firms, including a 15% share in MP Minerals, U.S. Steel, and several quantum tech companies.
As both Altman and Anthropic plan to go public in the near future, the moves they’re making could prove critical. Influencing AI policy decisions now could mean the difference between success and failure in this rapidly evolving industry.
Fox News Digital has sought comments from both OpenAI and the White House regarding these developments.
