OpenAI proposes 5% equity donation to 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 citing two people familiar with the matter. Under the proposal, other AI companies would donate similar stakes, though significant questions remain about specifics. The donation is intended to “secure good relations with the administration and … address political blowback,” per the FT. Similar discussions surfaced in June via CNBC and were later confirmed by President Trump, who mentioned concepts where the American public could become a partner with AI companies.

The talks are preliminary and likely require congressional approval, complicating any formal action. OpenAI has grown more specific in its proposals through a policy paper titled “Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age,” published in April, which outlined a public wealth fund that would invest directly in AI labs and deploy technology. Returns would be distributed to citizens, enabling broader participation in AI-driven growth. Separately, Sen. Bernie Sanders introduced the American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act in June, calling for a one-time 50% tax on AI company stock from “systemically important” firms, with shares deposited into a public fund. The bill remains in early stages.