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There's a lot to love about Star Trek , particularly its concept of how humanity sets aside its petty differences to explore the stars. 60 years later, it's a concept that's led to some of the best stories in science fiction, especially when it comes to the various alien races that Starfleet encounters . Whether it's the warlike Klingons, the logic-seeking Vulcans, or the alluring Orions, the Star Trek universe has plenty of distinct cultures throughout it . Now, a new comics collection is set to dive deep into these cultures, giving more depth to the "final frontier" in the process.

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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.

The first reaction many people had was understandable. If the government owns part of OpenAI, does that mean ordinary Americans somehow get a share too? It's an appealing thought when AI companies are attracting eye-watering valuations while promising to reshape the economy. Unfortunately, that's not exactly a likely outcome, no matter what the intentions.

AI economy access

The reports suggest Sam Altman has discussed a model inspired by Alaska's Permanent Fund, which invests state oil revenues and distributes annual payments to residents. It's an odd framing of AI as a natural resource instead of a software business. Bullish AI fans insisting it will be economically transformative might see it that way, and if they're right, perhaps some of that value should eventually flow back to the public, many of whom have helped incrementally train the models through use.

But the government owning shares in OpenAI wouldn't automatically translate into everyone getting a check. Financial benefits would depend on lots of little details, including whether profits were distributed at all, and if they'd go to public services or even the national debt over your own bank account.

Despite being just a hint of a rumor of a conversation, the questions are worth taking seriously. AI companies are asking society to embrace changes that could alter workplaces, education, healthcare, and entire industries. It is not unreasonable for people to wonder whether they should share in the wealth created by those changes.

Power at stake

There is another reason these discussions matter, and it may prove even more significant than the financial side. OpenAI has become part of a broader conversation about national economics and technological leadership. Governments around the world increasingly see advanced AI as strategic infrastructure rather than another consumer technology.

That helps explain why OpenAI might want a closer relationship with Washington. AI companies already rely on government decisions. Those connections are likely to become even more important as AI models grow larger and more expensive to build.

But governments are expected to regulate powerful companies fairly and independently. Becoming a shareholder in one of those companies could make that relationship look unethical, even with the best will in the world. Public trust often depends as much on appearances as on legal structures. Especially since there's even less sense that OpenAI's competitors like Google, Anthropic, or Meta will follow suit.

A government stake does not automatically mean the public owns part of OpenAI in any meaningful way, and it certainly does not guarantee anyone will personally benefit. So even if the proposal starts to become more real, skepticism and a close eye on any actual agreements is a healthy approach.

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A Tasmanian adventurer is funding a new Prado entirely with river gold.

His target is a base Land Cruiser Prado priced near AU$80,000.

One canyon dive on his best day pulled 22 grams worth thousands of dollars.

Instead of wrestling with high interest rates or a trade-in negotiation, Tasmanian content creator and adventurer Rob Parsons is trying to fund his next vehicle the hard way, using nothing but ancient prospecting techniques to get there. He wants a brand-new off-roader, and his plan is to pull the money out of the ground one riverbed at a time.

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The explorer, known for his navigation skills and solo expeditions, has launched a multi-day challenge to gather enough gold from remote waterways to cover the keys to that new truck. It sounds like a gimmick, and yet the math works.

More: Aussie Toyota Land Cruiser Prado Gets A Weird Grille Option

The target of this wilderness operation is the Toyota Land Cruiser Prado. The rugged SUV runs the mild-hybrid 2.8-liter turbodiesel engine and comes standard with 4WD. From his video it is understood that Parsons wants to buy the entry-level GX trim in Midnight Alloy shade, which carries a driveaway price of AU$ 79,545 (US$ 54,800) in Hobart, Tasmania.

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Parsons documents the journey through short videos posted to his Facebook page . Those will likely be stitched into a longer YouTube clip once the challenge wraps up.

More: This Land Cruiser Camper Sleeps Four And Hides A Shower Cubicle

Across the first 13 days of the experiment he has gathered AU$ 25,501 (US$ 17,600) worth of gold, which works out to an average of AU$ 1,960 (US$ 1,350) per day. Not every dive plays out the same way, though, and scavenging instinct matters more here than physical labor.

His best stint so far was Day 12, which produced a massive 21.71 grams of gold valued at AU$ 4,072.34 (US$ 2,800), pulled from a deep canyon pool with the help of a portable dive compressor setup. The low point came on Day 8, bringing in just 0.80 grams worth AU$ 151.98 (US$ 105) before a hardware failure in his satellite communication forced him to abort the mission early.

While Parsons still needs another AU$ 54,000 (US$ 37,200) to reach his ultimate purchase target, his early yield proves that old-school grit might just beat modern financing if you have the right skills and experience. Hopefully, he will soon be able to buy his dream Toyota using it to reach new locations in the Tasmanian wilderness.

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