OpenAI rules out 2026 IPO as Sam Altman flags AI safety risks

OpenAI has abandoned plans for an initial public offering this year, with CEO Sam Altman stating that the company is focusing on safety and alignment in artificial intelligence rather than a potential listing in 2026. Speaking to Fortune magazine, Altman emphasized that pursuing an IPO at this time would be "an ill-advised moment" given the safety challenges facing AI.

He acknowledged that even a small probability of AI causing human extinction would be unacceptable, though he questioned how such a probability could be accurately determined. Altman stressed that companies and governments must act responsibly to mitigate such risks. OpenAI had been considering a potentially trillion-dollar IPO, but the company now intends to delay the timeline to 2027.

Altman also suggested that OpenAI and other leading AI firms could be close to agreeing on collaborative safety measures and potentially moderating the pace of AI development. This decision comes as governments and lawmakers are increasingly pressured to impose safeguards on rapidly advancing AI systems, following warnings from researchers about the potential dangers of increasingly capable models.

Meanwhile, Anthropic, another major AI company, is proceeding with its own public offering plans, expected to begin marketing its IPO as early as mid-October, potentially completing the listing before the US midterm elections in November.