OpenAI IPO will not happen in 2026 amid AI safety fears, Altman says

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stated in a recent Fortune interview that the company will not go public in 2026 due to safety concerns surrounding artificial intelligence. Altman believes that the current moment is not ideal for a public listing, given the safety issues at hand. The CEO cited increasing calls for new regulations to govern AI systems, following warnings from researchers at Anthropic, another AI company.

These warnings raised concerns about the potential existential threat posed by rapidly advancing AI technology. Multiple politicians, from both parties, have expressed alarm and called for more action in response to these warnings. OpenAI was reportedly considering delaying its IPO, which was expected to be worth around a trillion dollars, until the following year.

At the time, Elon Musk's SpaceX IPO had seen a sharp decline in its valuation after a significant surge. When asked about the possibility of postponing the IPO to 2027, Altman affirmed that 2026 is off the table. He emphasized the need to address safety and alignment issues within the industry and collaborate with governments to navigate the situation.

Altman also hinted at the potential for an agreement among leading AI companies to slow down development and collaborate on safety measures. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei recently called for a more cautious approach to AI development, advocating for slowing down the pace of AI model improvement. Both Altman and Amodei seem to agree on the necessity to pace AI advancements.

OpenAI's safety concerns have not yet impacted Anthropic's IPO plans, which are expected to commence in mid-October at the earliest, ahead of the U.S. midterm elections in November.