OpenAI CEO Sam Altman Rules Out 2026 IPO, Citing AI Safety Concerns

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has ruled out an initial public offering for the company in 2026, stating that the firm is prioritizing work on artificial intelligence safety and alignment over a near-term stock market debut. The decision pushes back the timeline for what would be one of the most highly anticipated IPOs in the technology sector.

IPO Timeline Pushed Back

In an interview with Fortune on Friday, Altman described a public listing as ill-advised at the present moment. "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," he said.

When asked if 2027 was a more likely target, Altman indicated that was also improbable, stating, "I would say not 2026." He emphasized that OpenAI has significant work to complete on safety protocols and collaboration with industry and government partners before it would be ready for the public markets.

Safety and Structure Over Shareholder Value

Altman stressed that the decision to delay is directly tied to the company's mission and the societal implications of its technology. He noted that OpenAI has considered slowing development when its systems achieve new capabilities to allow researchers more time to address safety risks, saying "society needs to contend with these models at each level of capability."

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He also pointed to OpenAI's unique corporate governance, which includes both nonprofit and for-profit entities, as a key reason for its approach. This structure, he explained, allows the company "to make decisions that are not obviously in the interest of our business and our shareholders for the responsibility of fulfilling our mission."

Broader Industry Shift

The move reflects a growing conversation within the AI industry about the need to temper the pace of development to manage potential risks. Earlier in the week, Bloomberg reported that Altman had told employees OpenAI was considering slowing the development of its most advanced AI systems.

This sentiment is echoed by competitors. Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei announced Saturday that his company would grant independent evaluators permanent, employee-level access to its systems as a new safety measure. Altman told Fortune that major AI firms, including OpenAI, could be nearing a broader agreement to jointly slow development to address safety concerns.