OpenAI CEO Sam Altman believes that the best way to share the benefits of the rapidly growing AI sector with the American people is for companies to move to partial public ownership. According to Financial Times, Altman is considering giving 5% of OpenAI to the US government, provided other major AI competitors do the same.
Altman's plan was put on the table in meetings with President Donald Trump, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. The talks addressed the idea of OpenAI going public to some extent.
Altman also met with Vermont Independent Senator Bernie Sanders, who has proposed broad public ownership of AI companies. Sanders previously argued that US taxpayers should own half of large AI firms.
Altman's proposal stipulates that rivals such as Meta, Google, and Anthropic also transfer 5% of their companies to the public. This step aims to maintain OpenAI's position in the industry while strengthening ties with the Trump administration.
According to Financial Times, Altman wants to add OpenAI to Trump's growing corporate portfolio, following the example of Anthropic recently mending ties with the White House and being removed from the Pentagon's supply chain risk blacklist.
The US government previously bought a 10% stake in chipmaker Intel in August 2025, then partnered for 15% of MP Minerals. The Trump administration also acquired stakes in U.S. Steel and a number of quantum companies.