Trump suggests U.S. take ownership stake in AI giants

U.S. President Donald Trump has publicly suggested the idea of the U.S. government taking a small ownership stake in major artificial intelligence companies. Trump stated that such a move would allow the American public to share in the potential upside of these companies, which he anticipates will become trillion-dollar entities. He described the concept as a partnership with the American public, making them 'partners in this revolution' and potentially making them 'rich.'

This idea has been previously pushed by OpenAI CEO Sam Altman over the past year in conversations with the Trump administration. Senator Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) recently reignited the discussion by proposing that the public receive a direct ownership stake in top AI companies through a one-time 50% tax paid in stock. Industry advocates have suggested smaller stakes, ranging from 1-5%, for an AI public wealth fund.

Trump's embrace of a concept also proposed by Sanders highlights his economic populist stance, suggesting common ground on certain economic issues. He believes that allowing all Americans to participate in the wealth creation from AI could improve the technology's public image and maintain U.S. leadership in the field. Altman has also discussed the concept on Capitol Hill with leaders from both parties, and OpenAI's 'Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age' included a 'Public Wealth Fund' as a provocative idea.