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OpenAI proposed donating 5% of its equity to a US sovereign wealth fund
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has proposed giving 5% of the company’s equity to a U.S. sovereign wealth fund, according to a Financial Times report on Thursday citing two sources. Under the plan, other AI companies would donate similar stakes, though specifics remain unclear. The donation is intended to “secure good relations with the administration and … address political blowback.” Similar discussions were reported by CNBC in June and later confirmed by President Trump, who said he had discussed “concepts where pieces could be given to the American public, where the American public essentially becomes a partner with the companies,” without specifying equity size. Talks are preliminary, and any formal action would likely require congressional approval. Altman has publicly discussed the idea of a public AI fund, and OpenAI has become more specific in its proposals. An April policy paper titled “Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age” proposed a public wealth fund to invest directly in AI labs and companies, with returns distributed to citizens to allow broader participation in AI-driven growth. A more aggressive version was proposed by Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT) in June, calling for a one-time 50% tax on AI company stock, deposited into a public wealth fund. His American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act would apply to “systemically important” AI companies, including those in data centers, infrastructure, or robotics. Companies like Google and SpaceX with AI as only part of their business could spin off non-AI portions to avoid taxation. The bill has not yet advanced to committee.