Key Points
- OpenAI will not pursue IPO in 2026 citing AI safety concerns
- Company raised $110 billion at $840 billion valuation in March 2026
- Anthropic CEO proposes voluntary slowdown with third-party AI evaluators
OpenAI will not pursue an initial public offering in 2026, with CEO Sam Altman saying that taking the company public at this stage would be inadvisable given mounting concerns about the safety of advanced artificial intelligence systems.
“I actually think that, given everything happening with safety, right now would be an ill-advised moment to go public, and we don’t feel pressure on that,” Altman said in an interview with Fortune magazine.
The decision marks a notable shift for one of the world’s most valuable private technology companies, which confidentially filed for a US IPO in June 2026. OpenAI had not disclosed the size or terms of that proposed offering, and had said a timeline had not been determined.
Safety concerns
Altman’s remarks come as warnings about AI risks have intensified across the technology industry. Two researchers from Anthropic, a rival AI company, recently resigned from their positions, stating they believe there is a 10 per cent probability that artificial intelligence could lead to the extinction of humanity within the next decade.
When asked about this estimate, Altman said he did not know how such a calculation could be made but acknowledged the risk warranted serious attention from both AI companies and governments.
“Whether it’s 10 or eight or six, the point is, we all have a tremendous amount of responsibility, and cannot let egos or incentives for profit or anything else get in the way,” Altman said. “We need to act such that we are not taking any of those numbers of risk, and I believe we can.”
The views show a departure from the typical stance of technology executives, who have often downplayed concerns about AI risks while emphasising the commercial potential of their products. OpenAI develops ChatGPT and the GPT family of large language models, software systems trained on vast amounts of text data to generate human-like responses to user queries.
Valuation and funding
OpenAI closed a funding round in March 2026, raising $110 billion at a valuation of $840 billion. The round drew investment from SoftBank, Amazon and Nvidia, among other backers. At that valuation, OpenAI ranks among the most valuable private companies globally.
Sara Friar, OpenAI’s chief financial officer, reportedly told employees last month that the company would likely go public in 2027 or potentially earlier, contingent on business performance. “Our business continues to inflect,” she said, according to reports.
The delay to any IPO could affect investor expectations and the broader market for AI-related listings. Technology investors have been seeking opportunities to gain exposure to companies at the forefront of generative AI development, a category of AI that can produce text, images and other content in response to user prompts.
Anthropic, which competes directly with OpenAI in developing large language models, appears to be proceeding with its own public offering. The company, which makes the Claude family of AI assistants, is expected to begin marketing its IPO in mid-October 2026 at the earliest and complete the listing before the US midterm elections in November, according to Reuters.
By the numbers
Key figures from this story- $840 billion
- OpenAI valuation after March 2026 funding
- $110 billion
- Amount raised in March 2026 round
- 10%
- Probability estimate of AI extinction risk
Industry slowdown proposal
Separately, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei published an essay on Saturday proposing that AI companies voluntarily slow the pace at which they improve their most advanced models. The proposal includes a three-step plan that would allow third-party evaluators to assess AI systems with access comparable to that of company employees.
“I continue to believe that AI can enormously improve the quality of human life. My desire to achieve these benefits is undimmed,” Amodei wrote. “But the benefits will only be achieved if we build the technology in the right way, and, so long as we use the time we gain well, it is worth taking unusually deliberate care to get it right.”
Amodei clarified that the proposal did not mean halting model training or technical progress, but rather ensuring companies take adequate time to align and safeguard their models and for independent evaluators to confirm this.
The proposal drew support from several prominent figures in the AI industry, including Altman, Elon Musk and Demis Hassabis, chairman of Google DeepMind. The agreement among three competitors who have frequently clashed publicly represents an unusual consensus on the need for caution.
“I agree with Dario that we need to pace the frontier. This has been a primary topic of discussions we’ve had at OpenAI in recent weeks,” Altman wrote on X on Saturday. “Committing to having independent evaluators with employee-like access is a great idea, and we will do the same.”
Musk endorsed the proposal with the words “Dario is right,” while Hassabis said the essay “points towards the right path forward” and that “the direction is correct for meeting this critical moment.”
The convergence of views among AI executives comes as governments worldwide have been considering how to regulate artificial intelligence systems. The European Union has implemented the AI Act, while the United States has pursued a more voluntary approach through executive orders and industry commitments.
India’s own approach to AI governance remains under development, with MeitY exploring regulatory frameworks that balance innovation with safety considerations.
Your Questions, Answered
Why is OpenAI delaying its IPO?
CEO Sam Altman said going public now would be ill-advised given ongoing concerns about AI safety. He indicated the company does not feel pressure to pursue an IPO in the current environment.
When might OpenAI go public?
The company's chief financial officer Sara Friar reportedly told employees that OpenAI would likely go public in 2027 or potentially sooner, depending on business performance.
What is Anthropic's proposal for slowing AI development?
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei proposed a voluntary slowdown that includes allowing third-party evaluators to assess AI systems with employee-level access, ensuring adequate time for safety alignment.
How much is OpenAI valued at?
OpenAI was valued at $840 billion after raising $110 billion in a funding round in March 2026 from investors including SoftBank, Amazon and Nvidia.
