OpenAI Won't Go Public This Year: Altman Says Safety Comes First
Sam Altman says that, given the safety concerns, now is not the time to pursue an IPO. Separately, OpenAI is reportedly seeking at least $30 billion in additional private funding.
OpenAI will not go public this year because of AI safety considerations, Fortune reported. The basis for the report is a September interview with OpenAI CEO Sam Altman, in which Altman said that pursuing an IPO now would not be appropriate. He explained that the company would move toward a listing once it judged that both the business and the broader social conditions were ready.
Why not now
The first issue Altman raised in explaining the timing was AI safety. He said OpenAI is not rushing to go public. Asked about the possibility of a listing in 2026, he answered, “not 2026.”
The interview also touched on how the company checks safety as its models grow more capable. Altman said OpenAI has paused model training in the past in order to strengthen its safeguards, and that the company has discussed additional pauses as model capability reaches new thresholds. Among the things under review is the problem of making sure AI behaves safely and in line with human intent.
Altman said this cautious posture toward a listing is nothing new: OpenAI has said all along that it would not rush to go public. What this report adds to that stance is a concrete timeline, namely that there will be no IPO this year. As criteria for eventually pursuing one, he cited the readiness of the business together with the state of society.
Where the additional money comes from
Instead of going public, OpenAI is raising money through private investment. Ars Technica reported on September 30 that OpenAI is seeking to raise at least $30 billion in additional funding from private sources. That effort is still underway.
The focus of this news is not the terms on which people use OpenAI’s services, but the company’s direction on a listing and on funding. There is still no set date for when OpenAI shares might be available on the stock market. What to watch from here is what decisions come out of the safety review discussions Altman described, and whether the $30 billion raise actually closes.