OpenAI declined to comment on the report, while the White House did not respond to CNN’s request for comment.
Based on OpenAI’s March funding round, which valued the company at $852 billion, a 5% ownership stake would be worth about $42.6 billion.
The reported discussions follow recent comments from President Donald Trump, who said last month that he planned to meet with leading AI executives to explore ways for the public to hold a financial interest in AI companies. Trump said the administration was considering partnership models that would allow the government to share in the industry’s growth.
The proposal comes as OpenAI and Anthropic continue to face increased government scrutiny over advanced AI systems. Anthropic recently said the US government had removed export controls on its most advanced models after negotiations with officials. OpenAI has also faced government oversight of upcoming model releases. A source familiar with the matter previously told CNN that the White House requested the company limit the initial release of its GPT-5.6 model to a small group of government-approved partners because of its capabilities.
According to the Financial Times, one concept under discussion would have leading US AI companies contribute 5% of their equity to a vehicle modeled on the Alaska Permanent Fund, which invests state oil revenue and distributes returns to the state government.
OpenAI has previously advocated for a similar concept. In April, the company proposed creating a “public wealth fund,” which “provides every citizen – including those not invested in financial markets – with a stake in AI-driven economic growth.”
The Financial Times reported that implementing such a plan could require an act of Congress. It also said it remains unclear whether other AI companies support the proposal.
Both OpenAI and Anthropic are preparing for public stock market listings, which would make their shares available to public investors while requiring greater financial disclosure. The reported discussions also align with the Trump administration’s broader focus on expanding US leadership in artificial intelligence and other advanced technologies.
This analysis is based on reporting from CNN.
Image courtesy of Yahoo Finance.
This article was generated with AI assistance and reviewed for accuracy and quality.
