The Donald Trump administration is reportedly exploring whether the U.S. government should take ownership stakes in leading artificial intelligence companies, a move that comes days after Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) unveiled a proposal calling for public ownership of major AI firms.
Government Equity Stakes In AI Firms
Senior U.S. officials have held preliminary discussions with major AI companies about potentially transferring shares to the government voluntarily, according to a report from NOTUS citing people familiar with the matter.
Under the reported discussions, returns from those holdings could be directed toward public initiatives, including potential dividend payments to American households.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has reportedly discussed the idea with administration officials since PresidentTrump returned to office and pitched the concept directly to Trump in 2025 as a way to distribute AI-driven wealth more broadly.
The White House did not immediately respond to Benzinga's request for comments.
Sanders Proposal And Chanos Reaction
The reported talks emerged just days after Sanders introduced the American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act, legislation that would create a federal investment fund financed with equity rather than cash.
The proposal calls for leading AI firms, including OpenAI, Anthropic and xAI, to transfer 50% of their equity to the government, with the remaining half distributed among the public.
Noted short seller Jim Chanos highlighted the unusual political overlap between Trump and Sanders.
"What do you call it when both Donald Trump AND Bernie Sanders advocate government (“public”) ownership of corporate equity…?!" Chanos wrote on X.
Trump's Broader Shift Toward Strategic Ownership
The administration has increasingly embraced equity stakes in strategically important industries.
This includes investments tied to Intel Corp. (NASDAQ:INTC), rare-earth producer MP Materials (NYSE:MP) and reported financing discussions involving U.S. drone manufacturers.
Disclaimer: This content was partially produced with the help of AI tools and was reviewed and published by Benzinga editors.
Photo courtesy: Shutterstock
Login to comment