OpenAI Offers US Gov 5% Stake to Ease Washington Pressure

OpenAI has proposed giving the U.S. government a 5% stake in the company. This comes as the artificial intelligence startup aims to ease political pressure in Washington. A 5% holding would be worth about $42.6 billion, based on a recent valuation. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman suggested this idea in early conversations with the Trump administration. He argued that giving the public a financial interest in the company is the best way to share the benefits of AI. The proposed arrangement might include other U.S. AI companies giving similar stakes to the government. The administration has taken stakes in private companies before, like its 10% holding in Intel. In June, President Trump described U.S. ownership in AI giants as "a beautiful thing." This could potentially make Americans "partners in this revolution."