Summary
- OpenAI is discussing giving the US government a 5% stake in the company as it weighs ways to build a favorable political environment ahead of an IPO.
- The proposal would have major US AI companies, including OpenAI, each contribute a 5% stake to a public investment vehicle.
- The White House plans to release guidelines on frontier AI models as soon as next week.
Forecast Trend Report by Period
OpenAI, the maker of ChatGPT, is discussing a plan to give the US government a 5% stake in the company, the Financial Times reported on July 2.
OpenAI floated the idea in early talks with the Trump administration, the newspaper said. The company is weighing the proposal ahead of an initial public offering as it seeks to cultivate a favorable political environment.
Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman has argued that giving the public a financial stake in the company is the best way to share the economic benefits of the artificial intelligence industry. He has envisioned a public investment vehicle modeled on the Alaska Permanent Fund.
The proposal would have major US AI companies, including OpenAI, each contribute a 5% equity stake to the public investment vehicle. It is unclear whether other companies, including Google, Meta and Anthropic, would agree to the plan.
Altman has recently discussed the matter with President Donald Trump, Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent, the FT reported. The newspaper added that he had also been in contact with Senator Bernie Sanders. In June, Sanders proposed legislation to impose a one-time 50% tax on shares of major AI companies and create a $70 trillion sovereign wealth fund.
Separately, the White House plans to release guidelines on frontier AI models as soon as next week. The guidance would set security standards, establish review timelines and clarify who can access top-tier AI models in the US and abroad.
JOON HYOUNG LEE
gilson@bloomingbit.ioCrypto Journalist based in Seoul