OpenAI has confidentially filed for an initial public offering (IPO), paving the way for what could become one of the most closely watched stock market debuts in recent history.
The move comes shortly after rival AI company Anthropic announced plans to go public and ahead of SpaceX’s expected market debut on Friday.
Together, the three listings are expected to account for hundreds of billions of dollars in stock sales, offering retail investors a chance to buy into some of the world’s most prominent artificial intelligence companies while also testing market appetite for AI-focused firms.
OpenAI said it has not yet decided on the timing of the IPO. Since the filing was made confidentially, details regarding the number of shares to be sold or the proposed valuation remain undisclosed.
“It may be a while because there are things we want to do that are likely easier as a private company,” OpenAI said in a post on its newsroom page.
However, the company added that the filing “gives us the option to go public sooner if that ends up being best.”
A public listing would provide investors with greater visibility into OpenAI’s finances as the company continues spending billions on AI infrastructure and computing resources.
The filing comes at a time when investors are increasingly scrutinising AI companies and their spending patterns. Tech stocks saw a sell-off last week amid concerns that valuations in the sector may have risen too sharply.
OpenAI was last valued at $852 billion after raising $122 billion in March. However, the company has also faced pressure to prove it can generate revenue at a scale that justifies its valuation.
Last November, OpenAI chief financial officer Sarah Friar drew attention after suggesting that the US government should “backstop” the company’s large spending on chips and data centres, comments she later walked back.
Over the past year, OpenAI has expanded monetisation efforts around ChatGPT, its flagship chatbot product.
The company launched a lower-cost $8 subscription tier and introduced advertising options as part of efforts to broaden revenue streams.
According to a report by The Information in April, OpenAI expects the cheaper subscription plan to help drive subscriber numbers to 122 million this year. The report also said the company projects advertising to become its largest source of revenue by 2030.
At the same time, OpenAI has sought to position itself as more than just a chatbot company.
In recent months, it has launched a web browser, announced plans to develop consumer hardware products, introduced an AI agent capable of coding and managing applications on a user’s computer, and rolled out AI tools for sectors including government, healthcare and finance.
OpenAI recently secured a courtroom victory after a lawsuit filed by Elon Musk against the company was barred by the statute of limitations.
The case, if decided in Musk’s favour, could have triggered significant leadership changes ahead of the IPO. Musk’s attorney has said an appeal will be filed.
Despite its rapid growth, OpenAI continues to face strong competition from rivals including Anthropic and Google.
Anthropic’s valuation surpassed OpenAI’s following a fundraising round in May that valued the company at $965 billion, underlining the escalating race among AI firms for dominance in both consumer and enterprise markets.
OpenAI is also facing lawsuits alleging ChatGPT played a role in shootings and suicides, while broader public concerns around AI technology continue to grow.
The company also experienced internal turmoil in 2023 when CEO Sam Altman was briefly removed from his position before later returning.
