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Sam Altman says OpenAI going public in 2026 would be ‘ill-advised’
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OpenAI CEO Sam Altman confirmed the company will not go public in 2026, calling such a move "ill-advised" at this time. In a 45-minute interview with Fortune published on September 12, 2026, Altman addressed the IPO timeline and other pressing AI topics. He said OpenAI feels no pressure to go public and will only do so when ready.
During the interview, Altman discussed the Hugging Face hacking incident, recursive self-improvement, and the possibility of AI beyond human control. On the latter, he said it was "absolutely" possible to build such an AI. He vowed to take action to prevent that outcome, even if it meant pausing training. He added that "there are risks we should not be able to incur on behalf of humanity."
Altman's comments on the IPO were direct. "We're not rushing into an IPO," he said, explaining that "given everything happening with safety, this would be, right now would be an ill-advised moment to go public." He reiterated that the company has long planned to go public when ready, adding: "I would say not 2026. We've got a lot of stuff to do."
The decision to delay the IPO signals that OpenAI is prioritizing safety over market timing. It also reflects heightened regulatory and public scrutiny facing the AI industry. By staying private, OpenAI can avoid quarterly pressures while navigating complex safety challenges.
Altman's stance may reassure safety advocates who worry about unchecked AI development. But investors eager for a lucrative OpenAI listing may be disappointed by the lack of a timeline. The mention of the Hugging Face hacking incident underscores the security risks shadowing the sector.
Looking ahead, OpenAI appears focused on safety and technical hurdles before any public offering. Altman did not offer a new target date, leaving the IPO window open. For now, the company is choosing caution over speed to ensure AI systems remain under human control.
