While OpenAI has opened the door to granting shares to the government, Anthropic has not entered into similar negotiations
A source familiar with the matter told Reuters that the White House and Anthropic have not discussed the possibility of the federal government acquiring a stake in the company. The denial follows a Financial Times report that raised the same prospect for rival OpenAI: its chief executive Sam Altman is said to have discussed with the administration the transfer of a 5% stake to the government.
President Donald Trump has said he is considering plans to offer the public stakes in leading AI companies, while Senator Bernie Sanders has pushed for the creation of a sovereign fund that would guarantee public ownership of nearly half of each American AI company.
The regulatory backdrop is far from neutral. The Department of Commerce imposed and then revoked export controls on two of Anthropic’s most advanced models, citing concerns over the absence of adequate safety measures. Both companies, according to Reuters, are under scrutiny over the possible misuse of their models and over whether the public benefits from the sector’s valuations.
