OpenAI offers 5% equity to US fund — should AI companies pay for goodwill?
openai proposed donating 5% of its equity to a u.s. sovereign wealth fund to secure political favor. this sets a precedent for how ai companies might buy access while congress debates ownership.
openai ceo sam altman proposed donating 5% of the company's equity to a u.s. sovereign wealth fund, seeking to secure political favor and address regulatory blowback. the financial times reports that the proposal, discussed with the trump administration, suggests other ai labs would contribute similar stakes, though congressional approval remains a significant hurdle. this move aligns with openai's april policy paper 'industrial policy for the intelligence age,' which advocated for a fund to distribute ai-driven returns to citizens. discussions contrast with sen. bernie sanders' aggressive bill to tax 50% of ai company stock for a public fund. the proposal highlights the increasing tension between ai profitability and government oversight as labs seek to align with national interests.