OpenAI and Trump: Towards a Controversial Partnership in AI

OpenAI and the Trump Administration in Negotiations

For over a year, OpenAI and the Trump administration have been engaged in discussions regarding a potential government stake in the artificial intelligence startup. This idea was initially proposed by Sam Altman, CEO of OpenAI, in 2025. The goal of this agreement would be to transfer shares of OpenAI to the government to establish a "Public Wealth Fund." This fund would aim to distribute direct payments to American citizens. Although the details of this agreement have not yet been finalized, Donald Trump has expressed his desire to see these discussions progress quickly, according to CNBC.

OpenAI could thus transfer shares to the government, allowing it to create a fund that would make payments directly to American citizens. No specific conditions have been established yet, but Trump stated that the public could "essentially become a partner" and that discussions should move forward "in a very short timeframe."

Valuation and Political Stakes

Currently, OpenAI is valued at over $850 billion by private investors and is preparing for an initial public offering (IPO). The Trump administration, which already holds stakes in tech giants like Intel and IBM, could thus increase its influence in the strategic AI sector without going through Congress. Senator Bernie Sanders has also been involved in these discussions. He plans to soon introduce the "American A.I. Sovereign Wealth Fund Act," a bill that would impose a one-time 50% tax on the shares of major AI companies. This sovereign fund would allow the government to have voting rights and board seats, with profits redistributed to citizens.

Sanders argues that artificial intelligence relies on the collective knowledge of humanity and that the wealth it generates should not only benefit a handful of billionaires in the tech sector. OpenAI and Anthropic have also proposed similar funds.

Risks of Financial Dependency

However, this initiative raises concerns about a possible repetition of the "too big to fail" dynamic observed during the 2008 financial crisis. If the government becomes a shareholder in these companies, it might be tempted to intervene financially in times of trouble, creating a dependency similar to that of banks in 2008. OpenAI and Anthropic, while experiencing significant revenue growth and increased usage, continue to consume substantial amounts of cash. The long-term economic viability of these companies remains uncertain.

This is not a new concern. At the end of 2025, OpenAI's CFO, Sarah Friar, had mentioned the idea of government bailouts, only to quickly backtrack. Altman himself had emphasized at the time that the government should not provide guarantees or bail out companies. "The market, not the government, will take care of it" if OpenAI's bets turn out to be wrong, he stated.

Yet, OpenAI has simultaneously pressured the White House in a letter calling for grants, cost-sharing agreements, loans, or loan guarantees to expand the capacity and resilience of the industrial base, as well as support for broad industrial policy.