OpenAI Proposes 5% U.S. Government Stake Worth $42.6 Billion

According to reports, OpenAI has proposed giving the U.S. government a 5% equity stake in the company, valued at approximately $42.6 billion based on the firm's recent $852 billion valuation. CEO Sam Altman reportedly framed the plan as a mechanism to share AI gains with the public, with similar stakes potentially offered to other major U.S. AI developers including Anthropic, Google, and Meta through a government vehicle.

The proposal emerges amid increased Washington scrutiny of frontier AI models, cybersecurity risks, and competition from China. The arrangement would provide the government an ownership interest before any potential public listing, creating a formal financial link between public interests and sector growth, though no formal agreement has been announced.