OpenAI will not pursue an initial public offering in 2026, chief executive Sam Altman has confirmed. Speaking in a 45-minute interview, Altman said that going public in the current climate would be an “ill-advised” move, pointing to ongoing considerations around AI safety.
“We’re not rushing into an IPO,” Altman said. “I actually think that, given everything happening with safety, this would be, right now would be an ill-advised moment to go public. And we don’t feel pressure on that. We’ve said for a long time, we’ll do it when we’re ready… I would say not 2026. We’ve got a lot of stuff to do.”
A Range of Topics on the Table
The wide-ranging conversation covered several subjects beyond the company’s stock market plans. Altman addressed the Hugging Face hacking incident, the concept of recursive self-improvement, and the prospect of developing artificial intelligence that could move beyond human control.
On the question of whether an AI system could ultimately exceed human oversight, Altman said it was “absolutely” possible. He committed to taking measures to prevent such a scenario, indicating that these steps could include pausing training altogether if necessary.
Safety Framed as a Priority
Altman underlined the responsibility involved in developing advanced AI, stating that “there are risks we should not be able to incur on behalf of humanity.” His comments tied the decision to delay any public listing directly to the broader safety questions facing the sector.
The remarks signal that OpenAI intends to proceed on its own timeline rather than respond to external expectations. Altman reiterated that the company would consider going public only once it felt ready, and made clear that 2026 does not fall within that window.
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Image: theverge.com
