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OpenAI wants the U.S. government to own part of the company.
According to reports, it has proposed giving the US government a 5% stake, arguing that it would let the public share in the benefits of AI while easing growing political pressure.
What does it entail: the proposal would create a new way for the government to be involved in the AI industry. Instead of only regulating AI companies, the U.S. government would own a small stake in them through a public investment fund.
If these companies become more valuable, the fund could grow too, allowing taxpayers to benefit from the AI boom. The company believes AI will create enormous wealth, and that those gains should be shared with the public, not just private investors.
The plan could also extend to other AI giants like Google, Meta, and Anthropic, although it's still unclear whether those companies or the U.S. government would support it.
Larger trend: the proposal comes as the relationship between AI companies and the U.S. government is changing. Washington has increased oversight of companies like OpenAI and Anthropic over national security concerns and growing competition from Chinese AI firms.
At the same time, both the Trump administration and OpenAI have proposed ideas such as a public wealth fund, which would own small stakes in leading AI companies. As those companies grow in value, the fund could generate profits that benefit the public, giving the public a share in the wealth created by the AI boom.
Visual Capitalist
