Details for a potential deal haven’t been finalized yet.
Andrew Harnik/Getty Images
OpenAI could be the latest tech company that the US government takes a stake in. As first reported by NOTUS, “senior US officials” have had discussions with AI companies about potentially acquiring stakes in their firms. CNBC confirmed the talks and its source said that the talks between the Trump administration and OpenAI’s Sam Altman dated back to 2025 when the CEO first proposed the idea.
The discussions have led to a potential agreement that could see OpenAI voluntarily offer some equity to the US government, which would help the company achieve something similar to its proposed “Public Wealth Fund.” OpenAI first suggested this fund in an industrial policy outline published in April, which would “provide every citizen with a stake in AI-driven economic growth.” However, no official terms have been settled yet for this potential deal so it’s still unknown how much of an equity stake the Trump administration would take. Previously, the US government secured a 10 percent stake in Intel with a nearly $9 billion investment.
According to CNBC, the talks are still ongoing as Altman recently met with Washington policymakers to talk about AI regulation. Earlier this week, the Trump administration signed an executive order that would provide the US government with oversight on AI models before they’re released to the public. While there may have been some pressure from tech companies, OpenAI responded by saying it would comply with the order and let government regulators review its latest models before the public gets access.
