Overview
- President Donald Trump said he expects major AI companies to ‘give back’ and plans meetings with roughly 12 to 15 executives to discuss voluntary equity or profit-sharing for a government-run Public Wealth Fund.
- The Public Wealth Fund concept would pool equity stakes or dividend-like payments from AI firms into a government-managed fund that could channel returns to citizens, an idea OpenAI publicly endorsed in an April 2026 paper.
- A June 2 executive order created a voluntary 30-day pre-release federal review of substantial AI models and new procurement guidance that gives the government bargaining power without mandating stock transfers.
- Senator Bernie Sanders has proposed a separate, more aggressive plan to take a one-time 50% stock levy to build a sovereign wealth fund, highlighting sharp debate over voluntary deals versus compulsory taxes.
- Lawmakers and experts warn that ownership stakes raise conflicts of interest, procurement distortions, valuation and legal hurdles, and that markets and public contracting could shift depending on how any deals or legislation are structured.