Trump Eyes US Govt Stake in OpenAI & AI Firms

President Trump has confirmed advanced discussions with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman regarding a potential U.S. government equity stake in the AI startup. The proposal involves OpenAI donating shares to seed a 'Public Wealth Fund,' aiming to allow American citizens to share in AI growth. OpenAI is valued at over $850 billion. This move would mean American taxpayers could have indirect ownership of AI growth. The administration has already taken stakes in at least 10 companies, including Intel and IBM, in Trump's second term. However, Anthropic is explicitly not part of these discussions. Legal experts and opposition senators are questioning the existing mechanisms to implement such an arrangement. This development signals a dramatic turn in AI policy and could impact how AI growth benefits the public.