Does equity ownership change how governments regulate artificial intelligence?
Core argument: OpenAI Proposes Handing Trump Administration 5% Stake.
OpenAI has discussed giving a 5% stake to the US government as the $852bn AI start-up seeks to clear political obstacles by securing financial buy-in from the Trump administration. The proposed arrangement would involve other US AI companies handing over a similar stake, although it is not clear if the other labs would be willing to do so. Altman has been in active talks with the administration about the issue of public ownership, including Trump, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, according to multiple people familiar with the matter. The OpenAI chief has also spoken to Democratic Senator Bernie Sanders in recent weeks. Sanders has pushed for public ownership of closer to half of each US AI company through a sovereign wealth fund.


