OpenAI CEO Sam Altman proposed on Thursday donating 5% of the company's equity to a U.S. sovereign wealth fund, according to a report by the Financial Times. This initiative aims to foster positive relations with the U.S. administration and mitigate potential political backlash. The proposal suggests that other AI companies would also contribute similar stakes.
Details of the Proposal
As reported, the equity donation is part of preliminary discussions and is expected to require congressional approval for formal action. This complexity raises significant questions about the proposal's future. The Financial Times indicates that the discussions have been ongoing, with similar ideas previously reported by CNBC in June.
During those discussions, President Trump mentioned concepts where parts of AI companies could be shared with the American public, allowing citizens to become partners in these ventures. However, the specifics of these proposals, including the size of the equity stake, have yet to be clarified.
Public AI Fund Concept
The idea of a public AI fund has been a focal point for Altman and OpenAI. In an April policy paper titled Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age, OpenAI outlined a vision for a public wealth fund that could invest directly in AI labs and companies. The document notes, “Returns from the Fund could be distributed directly to citizens, allowing more people to participate directly in the upside of AI-driven growth, regardless of their starting wealth or access to capital.”
Legislative Actions and Reactions
A more aggressive proposal was introduced by Sen. Bernie Sanders in June, which suggested a one-time 50% tax on AI company stock. The collected shares would be allocated to a public wealth fund, known as the American AI Sovereign Wealth Fund Act. This act would target all “systemically important” AI companies, including those involved with data centers and robotics.
Under this proposed legislation, companies like Google and SpaceX could potentially separate their AI divisions from non-AI operations to avoid taxation. However, this bill has not yet advanced to committee.
- 5% equity donation proposed by OpenAI
- Public AI fund concept discussed
- 50% tax on AI stock proposed by Sen. Sanders
- Requires congressional approval
🤖 This article was rewritten by Feed and Figures' editorial AI from a report originally published by TechCrunch. Facts and quotes are preserved from the original; the rewrite focuses on clarity and structure. For the unedited original, see the source link below.
