Trump Government may acquire stake in OpenAI

Get a load of this: the Trump administration is considering buying a slice of OpenAI. Yes, you read that right. President Donald Trump mentioned he has been talking to artificial intelligence companies about deals that benefit the American people. Although he didn't name names, OpenAI seems like a strong candidate. That's because CNBC reported the government is, in fact, discussing an equity stake in the company. Part of this stake could be used to create a "Public Wealth Fund," an idea OpenAI itself proposed. The idea is that profits from this fund be distributed directly to citizens, allowing more people to share in AI-driven growth, regardless of initial wealth or access to capital.

Bloomberg also joined the dance. When Trump was asked about it aboard Air Force One, he said he had spoken to AI executives about "concepts where parts could be given to the American public, essentially making it a partner with the companies." And it's not news that OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has been discussing the idea of a government stake in major AI companies. This aligns with Trump's interest in having the government as a shareholder in profitable companies, as happened with Intel last year.

The idea has its fans on the left, too. Senator Bernie Sanders proposed a one-time 50% tax that companies like OpenAI, Anthropic, and xAI would pay in the form of stock. With these companies potentially going public this year, Sanders argues this tax would give the public a direct role in shaping the future of technology and ensure the trillions generated by AI are used to improve everyone's lives.

But not everyone is convinced. David Sacks, an investor and Trump's former AI and crypto czar, commented that Sanders' proposal might even resonate with many, including on the right, but warned it could accelerate the merger of corporations and government. Meanwhile, on social media, former Microsoft employees are already speculating that the groundwork is being laid for a government bailout of OpenAI.

So, is the government really going to become a partner in OpenAI? This story is still going to give us a lot to talk about.