Trump stated that the US government is exploring the possibility of acquiring equity in artificial intelligence companies. The White House is also preparing to meet with executives from several AI companies, possibly as early as next week. While discussions have not yet resulted in a final agreement, they have moved to a more concrete policy level.
OpenAI has discussed equity arrangements.
Reports indicate that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has been in communication with the White House regarding government ownership of the company for over a year. Discussions date back to 2025, when Altman first raised the idea with the Trump administration.
OpenAI has also discussed offering a stake to the U.S. government to launch a structure similar to a "public wealth fund." In a policy proposal released in April, the company stated that such a fund could invest in long-term, diversified assets, allowing the public to share in the benefits of AI growth.
According to the article, OpenAI's current private valuation exceeds $850 billion, and it is pushing forward with its initial public offering, which could take place as early as this year. The company completed a large funding round in March of this year, with one of the co-lead investors, MGX, backed by the Abu Dhabi sovereign wealth fund.
The White House plans to meet with AI executives.
Trump stated that he expects to meet with major AI companies soon, possibly as early as next week. The report did not list a confirmed attendee list, but mentioned leading companies including OpenAI, Anthropic, Google, Meta, xAI, and an AI business associated with SpaceX.
This meeting comes as the White House continues to adjust its AI policy. Trump had previously signed an order requiring federal national security agencies to accelerate the adoption of AI and introduce advanced models from multiple vendors.
He also signed an executive order requiring AI companies to voluntarily grant the government access to their models up to 30 days before public release. Altman has publicly supported this arrangement, stating that the U.S. should maintain its lead while ensuring model security.
Government shareholding sparks disagreement
This idea has sparked controversy in US political and technology policy circles. David Sacks, a former AI advisor in the Trump administration, warned that government ownership of AI companies could further deepen the entanglement between companies and the state.
Senator Bernie Sanders has also proposed a similar idea, advocating for the government to own 50% of AI companies. In response to related questions, Trump stated that he and Sanders are "not that far apart" on some economic issues.
The report also mentioned that Trump signed an executive order in February of this year requiring the federal government to establish a sovereign wealth fund. During his second term, the US government has also acquired stakes in Intel, IBM, and some quantum technology and key mining companies.
Currently, the US government has not reached a final agreement with OpenAI or other AI companies. If the meeting between the White House and business executives proceeds as scheduled, whether government ownership will be formally incorporated into the US AI policy agenda will be the next point of focus.
