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5% stake talks
OpenAI is in early-stage talks to give the US government a 5% stake in the ChatGPT developer, a proposal described as an effort to smooth relations with Donald Trump’s administration while sharing AI benefits with the public.
“That slice would be worth around $42.6 billion”
The Guardian reports the talks are tied to a 5% slice worth around $42.6 billion, based on OpenAI’s $852 billion valuation, and says the arrangement would be held through a vehicle modeled on the Alaska Permanent Fund.
CNN similarly frames the discussions as “early conversations,” citing Financial Times reporting that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has argued the deal would let the public share the financial upside of AI.
The proposal also sits alongside Washington scrutiny of AI releases, with CNN noting that the White House requested OpenAI limit the release of its upcoming GPT 5.6 model to a small number of government-approved partners.
In parallel, Forbes says the Financial Times reported the talks are “conceptual” and that Altman is engaging directly with President Donald Trump, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick, and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Who’s in, who isn’t
Multiple outlets say the 5% stake concept would extend beyond OpenAI, with The Guardian reporting Altman wants other big American AI players including Anthropic, Google and Meta to hand over a similar 5% cut.
CNN adds that any deal might require an act of Congress to implement, and it says it is unclear whether other AI companies are supportive of the proposals.
Euronews reports the 5% stake would be worth around $42.6 billion (€37.4bn) and ties the figure to the $852 billion (€749bn) price tag from March fundraising.
Ynetnews similarly describes the plan as a model under which all major US AI developers would transfer a similar share of their equity to a sovereign public investment fund modeled after the Alaska Permanent Fund.
Forbes notes that it is unclear whether other companies would join and points to competitors including Anthropic, Google and Meta as the likely set of firms under consideration.
Pressure, policy, next steps
The proposal is presented as a response to mounting regulatory pressure in Washington, with CNN saying the discussions come as the White House requested limits on GPT 5.6 and as OpenAI and Anthropic face scrutiny of upcoming models.
“provides “every citizen – including those not invested in financial markets – with a stake in AI-driven economic growth””
The Guardian links the broader debate to OpenAI’s earlier policy pitch for a “public wealth fund,” and it says the idea would provide “every citizen – including those not invested in financial markets – with a stake in AI-driven economic growth”.
Ynetnews adds that Altman has discussed the proposal with President Trump, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, while also meeting Democratic Sen. Bernie Sanders.
Euronews reports Sanders wants a one-off 50% tax on the shares of OpenAI, Anthropic and xAI and dismisses Altman’s offer as a “watered-down alternative to real public ownership.”
For now, the reporting emphasizes that the talks remain preliminary, with Euronews saying Trump has acknowledged the talks but stopped short of confirming anything has been agreed upon.
