OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the company will not go public in 2026, citing the need to focus on artificial intelligence safety and alignment. Speaking to Fortune, Altman said an IPO would be ill-advised amid current safety challenges. He added that OpenAI needs to work with governments and other AI firms on responsible development before considering a listing.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has confirmed that the company will not go public this year, saying the current safety landscape around artificial intelligence (AI) makes it the wrong moment for a listing. Speaking to Fortune, Altman said, "I actually think that, given everything happening with safety, right now would be an ill-advised moment to go public, and we don't feel pressure on that."

No ambiguity on the 2026 timeline

When pressed by Fortune on whether a 2026 listing was officially off the table, Altman was direct about the delay. "I would say not 2026. Yeah, we got a lot of stuff to do, like meeting this moment of what is going to be required for safety and alignment, and how the industry and governments can work together," he said. The remarks push back a listing that had reportedly been under consideration for this year, with OpenAI having filed confidentially for an IPO in June without committing to a firm timeline. The New York Times had reported in June that the company was weighing whether to delay a potentially trillion-dollar public offering until 2027, a timeline that Altman's latest comments now appear to confirm.

Safety concerns take priority over market pressure