U.S. weighs options to take AI stakes as sector profits surge

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US weighs AI stakes

Highlights

U.S. policymakers discuss taking equity stakes in AI firms through board representation, targeted taxes, or by exchanging federal funding for ownership, as sector profits surge.
Senator Bernie Sanders proposes a 50% government ownership stake in large AI companies, with board seats and tax payments in stock, while law professors suggest non-controlling state equity via stock-taxes.
OpenAI and Anthropic confidentially file for IPOs in June with OpenAI targeting a $1 trillion valuation; Alphabet increases equity offerings to $84.75 billion, highlighting government's potential fiscal impact.

Policy options under discussion

As reported by Reuters, policymakers, companies and advocates are outlining several ways the U.S. government could secure a stake in major AI firms after President Donald Trump says this month that companies should "give back" to the public. The options include placing government representatives on company boards, imposing targeted taxes on the industry and exchanging federal funding for equity stakes.

One proposal from U.S. Senator Bernie Sanders calls for using the tax system to capture part of AI-generated wealth, with large firms giving the government a 50% ownership stake and board representation. Sanders says the American people should be able to block harmful uses of AI and share in the financial upside.

A related approach from two law professors would require taxes to be paid in stock rather than cash, effectively transferring equity to the government without direct public investment. Jeremy Bearer-Friend of George Washington University Law School says that model would not give the government a controlling stake.

Another framework resembles the government’s deal with Intel, in which Washington took a 10% stake in exchange for billions of dollars in funding to expand domestic manufacturing capacity. Any similar arrangement in AI could materially reshape future federal revenue if high-growth companies later list publicly at large valuations.

Industry response and wider implications

AI developers are raising substantial sums to fund chips, data centers and other infrastructure, creating an opening for government-backed financing structures. Reuters has reported that OpenAI and Anthropic both confidentially file for U.S. initial public offerings this month, with OpenAI targeting a valuation of up to $1 trillion, while Alphabet says it is increasing its equity offerings to $84.75 billion.

OpenAI, Anthropic and Google do not respond to requests for comment on the prospect of government ownership stakes. OpenAI has discussed federal loan guarantees for chip plants with the government, though Chief Executive Sam Altman says in November that the company has not pursued similar arrangements for data centers.

Some companies are already advancing related ideas. OpenAI says in an April statement that it proposes a public wealth fund to invest in AI companies and distribute proceeds to citizens, while Anthropic says it is exploring a digital dividend funded by taxes on the sector.

Supporters compare the concept with Alaska’s Permanent Fund, which uses oil revenues to provide annual dividends to residents and support the state budget. Critics from free-market groups warn that direct government ownership could distort incentives, with Abundance Institute AI policy lead Neil Chilson saying it may shift Washington’s focus from protecting the public interest to maximizing investment returns.

Our earlier article on the AI infrastructure boom explained that, beyond chips and capital, a growing shortage of skilled trades is becoming a key bottleneck for building and operating data centers. We noted that Big Tech’s planned spending is colliding with a construction workforce gap, pushing companies to expand training programs and driving wage pressure across both technology and construction roles.

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