Altman rules out an OpenAI IPO in 2026

OpenAI will not sell shares to the public in 2026, according to CEO Sam Altman, who said this would be an ill-advised time for an IPO because the company still has major work to do on AI safety. An IPO would open ownership to public-market investors and bring a new set of expectations around growth and quarterly results; Altman said OpenAI does not feel pressured to make that move now. The comment does not cancel the prospect of a listing altogether, and Altman did not commit to a 2027 timetable. But it makes clear that, for now, OpenAI wants room to keep funding itself privately while it works through how advanced AI systems can be developed and deployed more safely.