New Delhi: OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has ruled out an initial public offering for the artificial intelligence company in 2026, saying the current environment around AI safety makes going public “ill-advised.”
The statement puts a pause on speculation that OpenAI could enter public markets this year following reports that the company had been exploring a potential listing at a valuation that could reach around $1 trillion. Altman said OpenAI currently has more immediate priorities, particularly around AI safety and alignment.
“I would say not 2026,” Altman said when asked whether an IPO could take place this year. He added that the company had significant work ahead in dealing with the safety requirements created by increasingly powerful AI systems and coordinating with governments and other companies.
The decision comes at a time when OpenAI is rapidly increasing both its AI capabilities and infrastructure requirements. Reuters reported in September that OpenAI expects to burn approximately $278 billion in cash between 2026 and 2030, reflecting the enormous cost of computing infrastructure and technology development planned by the company.
OpenAI’s financial scale has also expanded sharply. Reuters reported that the company’s annualised revenue run rate passed $40 billion in July 2026. The company’s growing revenue has been accompanied by increasing demand for computing capacity as it develops new generations of AI models.
At the same time, the company has faced growing discussion around the risks associated with frontier AI. OpenAI has introduced new systems for reporting model misalignment and has called for common standards covering AI capability testing, risk assessment, incident reporting and human control.
Altman has also argued that even a relatively small probability of catastrophic AI outcomes should not simply be accepted as a cost of technological progress. His comments followed warnings from researchers and executives across the AI sector about the speed at which AI capabilities are advancing.
