OpenAI as the guardian god of the nation? When investment myths collide with economic realities, will AI become the arms race of nations?

OpenAI's CFO seeks “government guarantees”, triggering market debates and revealing the real pressures behind the AI investment boom. From CEO Sam Altman's denial statement to Trump AI czar David Sacks' firm response of “there will be no federal bailout”, this upheaval may signal a turning point for the AI industry from growth myth to national strategy.

Fuse: OpenAI's CFO's statement “government guarantee” raises concerns.

OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar mentioned yesterday at the Wall Street Journal (WSJ) event that she hopes the government will “play a backstop role” in AI investments, suggesting potential government support. This has been interpreted as OpenAI seeking government financial guarantees for its $1 trillion data center construction.

(OpenAI CFO: There is no plan for an IPO at the moment, and the market shouldn't overreact to concerns about an AI bubble)

Subsequently, Friar quickly clarified: “OpenAI does not seek government guarantees; my wording obscured the original meaning. What I meant to express is that the strength of American technology needs to be built jointly by the public and private sectors.”

However, this statement still raises concerns in the market: has the business model of AI reached its limits in terms of capital?

Altman emergency fire extinguishing: does not need and does not intend to seek government guarantees

This morning, CEO Sam Altman also posted on X to extinguish the flames, emphasizing that the company “does not, and does not wish to have the government provide guarantees for us.” He wrote:

The government should not choose winners or losers, and it should certainly not let taxpayers foot the bill for companies that make poor business decisions or fail in the market.

He reiterated OpenAI's image of market autonomy, but there are still doubts from the outside regarding whether its financial pressures have approached a critical point. CNBC reported that OpenAI's estimated revenue this year is about $13 billion, yet it carries over $1.4 trillion in infrastructure commitments.

Altman was recently asked about the source of funding in a podcast and responded irritably, “Enough, I think many people want to buy OpenAI's stock.” His words and actions reveal his sensitivity and anxiety regarding financing issues.

White House Position: Sacks stated “no AI funding program”

At the same time, Trump administration's AI and crypto czar David Sacks stated on X: “The government will not intervene to fund AI.”

There are at least five leading AI companies in the United States, and if one of them fails, the others will take its place.

Sacks added that the government will simplify energy permits and electricity production processes to support computing facilities, but firmly opposes using taxpayer money to sustain corporate operations. He wrote: “I don't think anyone will need a bailout, that would be ridiculous.”

When Investment Myths Collide with Economic Reality: How Far Can AI Development Go?

Market observer @The_Prophet_ pointed out that this is clearly not a semantic dispute, but a warning about the sustainability of AI technology development.

He pointed out that the theory of “scale → intelligence → revenue → infinite growth” in the AI economy is breaking down, as the growth of computing power costs far exceeds revenue potential; thus, the narrative of companies has shifted from “disrupting the world” to “national strategic endeavors,” seeking public funding intervention.

This is astonishingly similar to the turning points of historical technological waves: the railroad era relied on federal bonds and land grants, the internet was funded by the Defense Advanced Research Projects Agency (DARPA), and semiconductors depended on military orders for stable supply.

And now, AI is heading towards the same fate, transforming from a startup dream into a part of government strategy.

Computing power is sovereignty: When AI becomes a part of the arms race

As the costs of AI energy and infrastructure soar, @The_Prophet_ believes that AI is becoming the new energy network: “Data centers will become sovereign assets, computing power is the new oil, and the chip supply chain is defense logistics.”

He pointed out that OpenAI is positioning itself as a critical national infrastructure, which is basically saying, “You can't let us fail, or else China will win.”

Similar positions seem to be hinted at in the recent comments by NVIDIA CEO Jensen Huang, which may indicate that AI is shifting from the battlefield of tech startups to a new competition in geopolitics. Once AI companies are incorporated into the national industrial system, the “too big to fail” public opinion will resurface.

(Jensen Huang warns: China will surpass the United States in winning the AI competition, with energy and regulation becoming key factors)

Is OpenAI becoming the national treasure? When investment myths collide with economic realities, will AI become a national arms race? Originally appeared in Chain News ABMedia.