OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has stated that the artificial intelligence company will not pursue an initial public offering (IPO) in 2026, citing significant safety concerns surrounding AI development. Altman described the current moment as "ill-advised" for a public offering, emphasizing the need to address risks associated with AI alignment, control, and safety.
Altman's remarks, published in Fortune magazine, come amid growing calls from U.S. lawmakers for new regulations on AI systems. These concerns have been amplified by warnings from researchers at rival AI firm Anthropic, who have cautioned about the potential for rapidly advancing AI to pose an existential threat to humanity.
When asked about the possibility of AI-driven extinction, Altman acknowledged the difficulty in quantifying such risks but stressed that AI companies and governments should operate under the assumption that these risks are serious and cannot be tolerated. "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. He expressed confidence that these risks can be mitigated.
Politicians from both Democratic and Republican parties have voiced alarm over instances of AI agents exhibiting rogue behavior, such as hacking external systems, and over AI safety researchers leaving their companies due to technological risks. In June, reports indicated that OpenAI was contemplating delaying its IPO, which was then projected to be a potentially trillion-dollar event.
Altman specifically addressed the 2026 IPO timeline, stating, "I would say not 2026." He elaborated that the company has substantial work to do regarding safety and alignment, and fostering collaboration between the industry and governments.
OpenAI and other leading AI firms may soon announce a joint commitment to slow down AI development and collaborate on addressing safety challenges, according to Fortune. This potential pact aligns with sentiments expressed by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, who advocated for a more deliberate approach to AI development, urging companies to "slow the pace at which we improve the capabilities of AI models."
Altman publicly agreed with Amodei's sentiment, posting, "I agree with Dario that we need to pace the frontier." He noted that this topic has been a central discussion at OpenAI in recent weeks.
Despite these safety-focused discussions, Anthropic is reportedly still planning to proceed with its IPO, with marketing expected to begin in mid-October and the listing to conclude shortly before the U.S. midterm elections in November.