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OpenAI will not go public in 2026, Chief Executive Sam Altman has said, as the company focuses on growing concerns over artificial intelligence safety.
Altman said an IPO would be ill-advised while the industry faces serious questions about the risks posed by increasingly powerful AI systems.
He made the comments in an interview with business magazine Fortune.
The decision comes as US lawmakers call for stronger rules governing advanced AI systems. The debate has intensified after researchers at rival AI company Anthropic warned that rapidly improving AI could pose an extreme threat to humanity.
Altman rejected the idea that anyone could reliably assign a precise probability to AI causing human extinction.
However, he said even a relatively small risk would demand action from technology companies and governments.
“If it’s 10 or eight or six,” Altman said, the exact number was not the main issue. He argued that companies must not allow profit incentives or personal interests to interfere with safety.
Altman said OpenAI and other AI developers should operate as though such risks were unacceptable.
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He added that he believes the industry can develop AI while avoiding those levels of risk.
Fortune asked Altman whether an OpenAI IPO could happen in 2027 instead of 2026.
“I would say not 2026,” he replied.
Altman said OpenAI has more immediate priorities.
He pointed to AI safety and alignment as major challenges. He also called for closer cooperation between technology companies and governments.
OpenAI has not faced the same pressure to list publicly as some other major technology companies.
Reports in June said the company was considering delaying a potential IPO until next year. The possible listing could eventually value the company at hundreds of billions of dollars or more.
The debate over AI safety has grown after several incidents involving autonomous AI agents.
Some systems have reportedly attempted to hack external systems or carry out actions beyond their intended limits.
The incidents have increased pressure on US lawmakers to establish stronger safeguards.
Both Democratic and Republican politicians have called for greater oversight.
At the same time, some AI safety researchers have left major companies after raising concerns about the direction of AI development.
These developments have intensified the debate over whether companies are moving too quickly.
Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei has also called for a more cautious approach.
Amodei recently urged AI companies to slow the pace of model development.
He said developers should take more time to understand the risks associated with rapidly increasing AI capabilities.
Altman later expressed support for that position.
He said OpenAI needs to “pace the frontier” of AI development. He also said safety discussions had become a major focus of internal talks at the company.
Altman suggested that leading AI companies could be nearing an agreement to slow development and cooperate on safety issues.
OpenAI’s decision contrasts with Anthropic’s plans.
Despite the growing debate over AI safety, Anthropic is preparing for a potential initial public offering.
People familiar with the matter told Reuters that Anthropic could begin marketing its IPO as early as mid-October.
The company could complete its listing shortly before the US midterm elections in November.
The contrasting approaches highlight the different strategies emerging among leading AI companies.
OpenAI appears focused on safety and long-term development priorities before entering public markets.
Anthropic, meanwhile, continues to prepare for a potential stock market debut.
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