OpenAI CEO Rules Out 2026 IPO
AI-generated image · US National Wire
Sam Altman cites safety concerns and business readiness as reasons for delaying the company's public debut.
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has confirmed that the company will not go public in 2026, describing such a move as "ill-advised" at this time. Speaking in an interview with Fortune editor in chief Alyson Shontell, Altman stated that the company is not rushing the process and will instead go public when the business is ready and the societal moment regarding the technology is appropriate.
Altman specifically pointed to current AI safety concerns as a primary driver for the delay. During the discussion, he acknowledged that it is "absolutely" possible to create an AI that exceeds human control, though he pledged to take necessary actions—including pausing training—to prevent that outcome.
While Altman's latest comments rule out a 2026 debut, TechCrunch reports that OpenAI has already filed confidentially for an IPO. Furthermore, reporting from The New York Times in June indicated that although the company had engaged lawyers and bankers with the intent of going public in the third or fourth quarter of 2026, OpenAI was leaning toward 2027. That shift was reportedly driven by internal financial challenges and the volatility of tech stocks.