U.S. President Donald Trump is considering whether the federal government should invest in some of America’s biggest artificial intelligence companies, as Washington looks for ways to give the public a financial interest in the industry’s rapid growth.
Trump said he expected to meet executives from major AI firms at the White House, possibly as early as next week. The administration has not identified which companies may attend the talks, and it remains unclear how any potential investment scheme would work.
Speaking aboard Air Force One, Trump said the goal was to “create almost a partnership with the American public.”
The discussions come as AI companies face growing scrutiny over the technology’s impact on jobs, cybersecurity, and the wider economy. While businesses continue to pour billions of dollars into data centres, computing infrastructure, and advanced models, concerns have mounted that the financial gains could remain concentrated among a small number of companies and investors.
Trump suggested that giving Americans a share in the industry’s success could help improve public confidence in AI.
“We’re talking about it,” Trump said, referring to conversations with AI leaders “where the American people can benefit from the success of AI, the American people will like it better.”
The president compared the idea with the U.S. government’s investment in chipmaker Intel, saying the move had already generated returns. His administration has also taken a more active role in industries considered important to national security and economic competitiveness.
The proposal has created an unusual area of overlap between Trump and Senator Bernie Sanders. Sanders has raised the prospect of a sovereign wealth fund that would give the public a substantial stake in leading AI businesses.
“Where economics are concerned, we have things that aren’t that far apart,” Trump said.
The debate has intensified as senior technology executives increase their engagement with policymakers in Washington. OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman recently met Sanders, while Anthropic chief executive Dario Amodei has held talks with senior White House officials.
Anthropic has faced tensions with the U.S. government over restrictions on how its technology may be used in military operations. However, co-founder Jack Clark said the company was “in daily conversations with the U.S. government and we’re finding ways to be helpful to national security.”