OpenAI Chief Executive Officer Sam Altman and the White House are holding ongoing talks about a possible US government stake in the artificial intelligence company, CNBC confirmed Friday.
The discussions have continued for more than a year. Altman first shared the idea with the Trump administration in 2025, according to a person familiar with the matter who asked not to be named because the details are confidential.
Talks Continue
The talks continued this week as Altman met lawmakers and officials in Washington. Those meetings focused on regulation and the latest developments in artificial intelligence.
As part of a possible agreement, OpenAI could donate equity to the US government to help seed something like the “Public Wealth Fund” the company described in its April policy proposal, the person said.
OpenAI said the fund could “invest in diversified, long-term assets” and allow citizens to take part in the “upside” of AI growth, possibly by receiving the fund’s returns directly.
No official investment terms have been decided, and the details could still change. Notus first reported the recent talks.
Trump’s Comments
President Donald Trump addressed the discussions while speaking with reporters on Air Force One on Friday.
“There are concepts where pieces could be given to the American public, where the American public essentially becomes a partner,” Trump said.
The president also said he is meeting with AI companies “in the very short, very near future.”
Sovereign Fund Plan
Trump signed an executive order in February calling for the federal government to establish a sovereign wealth fund.
During Trump’s second term, the administration has already taken stakes in Intel, International Business Machines, and other quantum and critical mineral companies.
Sen. Bernie Sanders, I-Vt., told CNBC that he and Altman discussed the idea of a sovereign wealth fund during their meeting on Wednesday.
OpenAI Valuation
Private investors value OpenAI at more than $850 billion.
The company is preparing for an initial public offering as soon as this year. It also closed a record funding round in March that was co-led by MGX, which is backed by Abu Dhabi’s sovereign wealth fund.
Technology companies such as OpenAI have played a central role in shaping the White House’s position on artificial intelligence.
Trump on Friday signed a directive instructing federal national security organizations to “accelerate AI adoption to meet surging demand” and quickly onboard the “most advanced AI models from multiple vendors.”
Govt to Analyze AI Models Before Launch
The directive came days after Trump signed an executive order asking AI companies to voluntarily give the government access to their models for up to 30 days before release.
The order has limited specific details, but executives from leading AI companies, including Altman, supported it on social media.
“The U.S. should lead on AI by continuing to develop the very best models, making sure they’re safe, and getting cyber tools into the hands of trusted defenders,” Altman wrote in a post on X. “The new EO gets the balance right.”
