OpenAI has reportedly floated a plan to give the U.S. government a 5% ownership stake, a move aimed at easing political pressure in Washington while giving the public a direct financial interest in the rise of artificial intelligence.

OpenAI has proposed handing the U.S. government a 5% stake in the company, according to a Financial Times report. The idea would give the public a slice of one of the world’s most closely watched AI companies at a time when politicians are increasingly questioning who benefits from the technology’s rapid growth.

At OpenAI’s recent valuation of $852 billion, the proposed stake would be worth about $42.6 billion. That valuation followed a major funding round in March, placing the company among the most valuable private technology firms in the world.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reportedly argued that public ownership would be one way to share the upside of AI more broadly. The proposal was discussed with the Trump administration, though it remains unclear whether the White House plans to move forward with the idea.

The talks come as OpenAI faces growing scrutiny in Washington over the economic and political consequences of artificial intelligence. The reported plan would not only give the government a financial interest in OpenAI, but could also set a template for other U.S. AI companies to offer similar stakes. CNBC noted that it is not yet clear whether rival AI labs would agree to such an arrangement.

The idea also follows OpenAI’s earlier proposal for a “public wealth fund” that would hold assets tied to AI growth and distribute gains to the public. That concept framed AI not just as a private business opportunity, but as a technology whose financial rewards could be shared more widely.

There is already a recent precedent for U.S. government ownership in a major technology company. The government holds a 10% stake in Intel after an $8.9 billion investment in the chipmaker’s common stock. President Donald Trump has also publicly praised the idea of Americans becoming “partners” in the AI boom through government stakes in major AI companies.

For now, the OpenAI proposal remains just that: a proposal. CNBC reported that both the White House and OpenAI did not immediately respond to requests for comment. Until either side confirms a formal plan, the biggest unanswered question is whether Washington sees public ownership in AI companies as a serious policy tool or simply as a negotiating point in a larger debate over the future of the industry.

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