OpenAI Offers U.S. Government a $42.6 Billion Stake to Silence Washington Critics

OpenAI is in preliminary talks to hand the U.S. government a 5% stake in the company — a slice worth roughly $42.6 billion. The figure is based on the AI lab's record-breaking March funding round at a post-money valuation of $852 billion. CEO Sam Altman argued that giving the public a financial interest in OpenAI is the best way to share the upside of AI, according to two people familiar with the talks. The proposed arrangement envisions other U.S. AI companies — such as Anthropic, Google, and Meta — ceding similar stakes to the government through a sovereign wealth fund vehicle. Altman and other OpenAI executives suggested allotting 5% of equity to a vehicle similar to the Alaska Permanent Fund. Any deal might require an act of Congress to implement. Altman has been in active talks with Trump, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent. Senator Bernie Sanders recently called for part-nationalization of the AI industry, with dividends going to the public. It is not clear whether any companies would agree to OpenAI's proposal.

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