OpenAI proposes public wealth fund to give Americans a stake in the AI boom

The company is in talks with the Trump administration about donating equity to seed a fund that would let every US citizen benefit from AI-driven growth.

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Add us on Google by Editorial Team Jun. 9, 2026

OpenAI wants to make every American a shareholder in the AI revolution. The company has proposed creating a Public Wealth Fund that would invest in AI firms and distribute returns to all US citizens, including the tens of millions who don’t own a single share of stock.

The idea isn’t purely theoretical anymore. As of early June, OpenAI and the Trump administration have been actively discussing a potential equity donation of between 1% and 5% from OpenAI to help seed the fund. Think of it as Alaska’s Permanent Fund, but instead of oil royalties, the dividends come from the companies building the most transformative technology since the internet.

From policy paper to White House conversations

OpenAI laid out its vision on April 6 in a policy paper titled “Industrial Policy for the Intelligence Age: Ideas to Keep People First.” The core argument: AI will generate enormous wealth, but that wealth will concentrate among a small number of companies and their investors unless governments intervene early.

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The proposed fund would diversify into long-term assets connected to AI growth. It would target not just AI developers but also companies adopting AI tools, broadening the investment base beyond the usual suspects in Silicon Valley.

President Trump has spoken positively about the concept, framing it as a way to make the American public “partners” in AI advancements.

The political tug-of-war over AI wealth

OpenAI’s proposal doesn’t exist in a vacuum. Senator Bernie Sanders has pushed a far more aggressive alternative: a one-time stock tax of 50% on leading AI companies. In English, that means Sanders wants half the value of these companies redirected to public benefit, compared to OpenAI’s voluntary offer of 1-5%.

OpenAI’s broader policy recommendations extend beyond the fund itself. The company has suggested shifts in taxation policy and enhancements to social safety nets as preparation for the economic disruptions that advanced AI will inevitably cause.

What this means for investors

For anyone with exposure to AI stocks, this proposal introduces a new variable into valuation models. If a Public Wealth Fund becomes reality, AI companies may face pressure, voluntary or otherwise, to contribute equity stakes. That’s dilutive for existing shareholders, even if the amounts seem small.

There’s also a conspicuous absence in this entire conversation: crypto. The Public Wealth Fund as described would operate through traditional equity investments, not digital assets. If the fund invests exclusively in traditional AI equities, it channels institutional attention and capital toward stocks rather than tokens.

The sovereign wealth fund model has worked elsewhere. Norway’s Government Pension Fund Global, the world’s largest, has turned oil revenues into a multi-trillion dollar portfolio. Alaska’s Permanent Fund sends annual dividend checks to every state resident.

Disclosure: This article was edited by Editorial Team. For more information on how we create and review content, see our Editorial Policy.