President Donald Trump is considering acquiring equity stakes in OpenAI and Anthropic, drawing inspiration from the government's 2025 deal with Intel. In that instance, the administration converted $8.9 billion in CHIPS Act funding into a 10% non-voting stake in the chipmaker.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has reportedly proposed a 5% government stake in his company. Given OpenAI's recent valuation of approximately $852 billion, such a share would be worth about $42.6 billion. Altman has discussed this potential arrangement with Commerce Secretary Howard Lutnick and Treasury Secretary Scott Bessent.
Anthropic has denied participating in discussions regarding government ownership. Instead, the company is exploring a digital dividend model funded by taxes on the AI sector, which would allow for wealth distribution without direct state involvement in the company's equity structure.
Both OpenAI and Anthropic filed for confidential IPOs in 2026. The proposed equity partnerships remain separate from the voluntary AI safety accords signed in September 2026, which did not include provisions for government ownership stakes.
