Who Will Own the AI Boom?

President Donald Trump has proposed that the federal government examine taking small ownership stakes in leading artificial intelligence companies so ordinary Americans can share in the technology’s gains. He raised the idea while speaking aboard Air Force One on June 5, 2026, and said he plans meetings with AI executives in the near term. News outlets, including CNBC and TechCrunch, report that talks involving firms such as OpenAI have been under way for more than a year, though companies have not immediately agreed to hand over shares.

The proposal comes amid a broader White House push on AI policy: the administration has issued an executive order that establishes a voluntary program for firms to share powerful new models with the government before public release. At the same time, some lawmakers and industry figures have advanced alternative proposals — Senator Bernie Sanders has proposed a plan for wide public ownership through a sovereign wealth fund, and OpenAI’s leaders have discussed ideas about public benefit and equity. These discussions have occurred in a crowded policy field where legal, financial and national security issues overlap.

Experts note that government equity in private companies departs from usual free-market practice, and any move would require careful legal structures to limit liability and preserve competition. The White House has previously pursued government investments in technology firms, and officials characterize the current idea as exploratory rather than final.

For now the plan is under review and meetings are expected; officials and companies have been tight-lipped as discussions continue and more concrete proposals have yet to be revealed.