A hot potato: The US government taking a stake in Intel last year was surprising enough, but Washington might not stop at chipmakers. Senior officials have reportedly discussed the idea of taking equity stakes in leading AI companies, including OpenAI, as the Trump administration looks for ways to ensure the public benefits from the artificial intelligence boom.

According to NOTUS, senior US officials have held preliminary discussions with major AI firms about the government receiving shares in their companies.

The details aren't set in stone, but the talks have reportedly centered on AI giants voluntarily handing over equity rather than the government simply buying stock on the open market. Returns from those stakes could then be used for public purposes, including a possible dividend for American households.

President Trump appeared to confirm that the idea is being considered while speaking to reporters aboard Air Force One. He said there are concepts under which "pieces" of AI companies could be given to the American public, creating what he described as a partnership between these firms and US citizens.

Trump also said his team would "look into" the proposal and suggested meetings with AI executives could take place soon.

– Reuters (@Reuters) June 6, 2026

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has reportedly discussed the idea with government officials since Trump returned to office. NOTUS says Altman first raised the concept directly with the president in 2025 and has brought it up again with senior officials in recent weeks. Anthropic, however, is reportedly not involved in conversations about handing equity to the government.

In April, OpenAI published a report calling for a Public Wealth Fund that would give every citizen, including those without stock market investments, a stake in AI-driven economic growth. The fund could invest in AI companies and other businesses benefiting from the technology, allowing ordinary Americans to share in the upside – and perhaps, in an ironic twist, offer financial help if their jobs are automated by AI.

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"Create a Public Wealth Fund that provides every citizen – including those not invested in financial markets – with a stake in AI-driven economic growth," OpenAI's report states. "Policymakers and AI companies should work together to determine how to best seed the Fund, which could invest in diversified, long-term assets that capture growth in both AI companies and the broader set of firms adopting and deploying AI."

Last summer, the US government took a nearly 10% stake in Intel by converting $11.1 billion in CHIPS Act funding into equity. The passive ownership did not include board seats, but it marked a new direction in how Washington supports strategically important tech companies.

The government has since explored or announced similar equity-based support for rare earth and quantum computing firms, suggesting Intel was not a one-off.

Critics warn that the government could become both shareholder and regulator in these AI companies, creating obvious conflicts of interest. Others argue that if the firms really do become some of the most valuable businesses in history, taxpayers should get more than promises of future benefits.