OpenAI Proposed Donating 5% of Its Equity to a US Sovereign Wealth Fund

According to reporting by the Financial Times, citing two people familiar with the matter, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman proposed giving 5% of the company's equity to a U.S. sovereign wealth fund. The proposal would extend to other AI companies as well, though significant details about the structure remain unresolved. Per the FT, the donation is intended to "secure good relations with the administration and… address political blowback."

Similar discussions were reported by CNBC in June 2026 and were subsequently confirmed by President Trump, who said he had discussed "concepts where pieces could be given to the American public, where the American public essentially becomes a partner with the companies." No specific equity size was mentioned at that time. The talks are described as preliminary, and any formal action would likely require congressional approval—a significant hurdle that could complicate or delay the plan.

The concept of a public AI fund is not new for OpenAI. The company's April 2026 policy paper, titled "Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age," proposed a public wealth fund that could invest directly in AI labs and companies deploying their technology. The document stated: "Returns from the Fund could be distributed directly to citizens, allowing more people to participate directly in the upside of AI-driven growth, regardless of their starting wealth or access to capital."

Senator Bernie Sanders (I-VT) introduced the American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act in June 2026, calling for a one-time 50% tax on stock in "systemically important" AI companies—covering data centers, infrastructure, and robotics. Companies like Google and SpaceX whose AI operations are part of a larger business could spin off non-AI divisions to avoid the tax. The collected shares would be deposited into a public wealth fund. The bill has not yet advanced to committee.