Key facts
- Trump administration and OpenAI have discussed potential U.S. equity stakes in the AI company.
- Discussions explored possibilities for government involvement in OpenAI's future.
- Trump signaled support for public stakes in AI companies.
- A White House meeting is planned to explore equity-sharing models.
President Donald Trump indicated that his administration is exploring the possibility of the United States acquiring a public stake in artificial intelligence (AI) companies. These discussions, which have involved OpenAI, aim to explore equity-sharing models that could allow Americans to benefit directly from the success of AI firms. Trump stated that his team has a meeting scheduled with major AI companies to discuss this potential venture, emphasizing that the American people can benefit from AI's success. Separately, Senator Bernie Sanders announced plans to introduce legislation, the American A.I. Sovereign Wealth Fund Act, to give the American public a direct ownership stake in the largest AI companies through a tax on their stock. Trump acknowledged some common ground with Sanders on economic policy, despite their differing approaches to AI regulation. Trump also recently signed an executive order requesting AI companies to voluntarily submit their frontier models for government review.