Sam Altman rules out OpenAI IPO in 2026 over safety concerns

Sam Altman rules out OpenAI IPO in 2026 over safety concerns

OpenAI will not go public in 2026, chief executive Sam Altman has said, citing safety concerns surrounding increasingly powerful artificial intelligence systems.

In a Fortune interview reported on September 12, Altman described the present moment as “ill-advised” for a stock market listing. He said the company did not feel pressure to go public and would do so when ready.

Altman also acknowledged that developing AI beyond human control was possible. He said OpenAI would take steps to prevent that outcome, including pausing model training if necessary.

His concern was that safety decisions could conflict with commercial interests. He said OpenAI needed freedom to take action that might not obviously benefit its business or shareholders.

“There are risks we should not be able to incur on behalf of humanity,” he said. He did not commit to a firm date for a later listing.