OpenAI Proposes Donating 5% Equity to US Sovereign Wealth Fund
Original: OpenAI proposed donating 5% of its equity to a US sovereign wealth fund
Why This Matters
This proposal signals a major shift in how AI companies may engage with U.S. government policy and public ownership structures.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has proposed donating 5% of the company's equity to a U.S. sovereign wealth fund, per Financial Times reporting citing two sources. Other AI companies would make similar donations. Talks remain preliminary and may require congressional approval.
According to the Financial Times, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has proposed giving 5% of OpenAI's equity to a U.S. sovereign wealth fund, with the stated goal of securing good relations with the administration and addressing political blowback. Other AI companies would be expected to contribute similar stakes, though specifics remain unclear. Similar discussions were reported by CNBC in June and confirmed by President Trump, who said he had discussed concepts where 'pieces could be given to the American public.' Any formal action would likely require congressional approval, complicating the path forward. OpenAI had previously outlined a related vision in its April policy paper 'Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age,' proposing a public wealth fund that invests in AI labs and distributes returns directly to citizens. Sen. Bernie Sanders separately proposed a more aggressive version in June — the American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act — calling for a one-time 50% tax on AI company stock deposited into a public fund. That bill has not yet advanced to committee.