Trump administration, OpenAI discussing possible government stake in the AI startup

The Trump administration and OpenAI CEO Sam Altman have been in discussions for more than a year regarding a possible government equity stake in the artificial intelligence startup, according to sources familiar with the talks. The White House has been involved in the conversations, which center on the U.S. government acquiring a financial interest in OpenAI.

Details of the proposed stake have not been disclosed, including the size of the equity or valuation. OpenAI has previously sought investment from a range of sources to fund its compute-intensive development.

The potential stake would mark a significant step in government involvement in a private AI company. The outcome of the talks could establish a precedent for how the U.S. government partners with leading AI developers on strategic technology.