OpenAI has begun discussions about giving the US government a 5% stake in the company, according to an FT report, with CEO Sam Altman supposedly raising the idea as a method for smoothing relations with the Trump administration.
Of course, right now there is no agreement or deal, and no guarantee the idea will ever move beyond conversations. Any arrangement would almost certainly require political support and significant legal work before it could become reality. Still, the fact that OpenAI is even entertaining the conversation tells us something about how seriously artificial intelligence is now being treated, both in Silicon Valley and in Washington.
