Altman Floated Giving US Government 5% of OpenAI, FT Reports

OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman proposed handing the US government roughly 5% of the company's equity as a way to let the public "share the upside" of AI, according to a Financial Times exclusive published on July 2, 2026, describing early talks with the Trump administration. According to the Financial Times report, Altman argued that the best way to share AI's upside with the public is to give the public a financial stake in the company. The report is based on two people familiar with the matter, and both OpenAI and the White House declined to comment.