Trump Expects AI Companies to Agree to 'Giving Back' to Public, Hints at Possible Government Stake

President Donald Trump expects top AI companies to "give back" to the public, hinting at a possible government equity stake ahead of meetings with industry executives. The proposal comes amid growing public concern, with a recent poll showing half of Americans fear AI-driven job loss. The idea echoes OpenAI's own proposal for a public wealth fund. An equity deal could have a massive financial impact, especially as firms like OpenAI target a $1 trillion valuation.

Trump AI equity stake proposal

• ▪President Donald Trump plans to meet with 12 or 15 top AI executives "very shortly" to discuss the proposal.
• ▪President Donald Trump's "giving back" proposal is an apparent reference to a possible U.S. government stake in the firms.
• ▪AI companies Anthropic, OpenAI, Google, and Meta did not immediately respond to requests for comment.
• ▪U.S. President Donald Trump said he expects top artificial intelligence companies to agree to "giving back" to the public.

AI job displacement fears

• ▪A Reuters/Ipsos poll completed on June 8, 2026, found that half of Americans fear AI could put them or someone in their household out of work.
• ▪Concern is growing among Americans about artificial intelligence negatively impacting their lives.

OpenAI public wealth fund concept

• ▪Proceeds from OpenAI's proposed "public wealth fund" would be "distributed directly to citizens," according to the company.
• ▪In April, OpenAI publicly proposed creating a "public wealth fund" to invest in AI companies.
• ▪Vermont Senator Bernie Sanders has expressed support for the idea of a public wealth fund for AI companies.

Government fiscal impact potential

• ▪President Donald Trump stated that if AI companies "give back," the public "will become very rich."
• ▪An agreement for AI companies to give the U.S. government equity stakes could have a massive impact on the government's finances.
• ▪OpenAI is targeting a valuation of up to $1 trillion, according to previous Reuters reporting.

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