OpenAI's Sam Altman says it would be ‘ill-advised' to go public in 2026

In Brief Posted: 1:19 PM PDT · September 12, 2026 Image Credits: Nathan Laine/Bloomberg / Getty Images Anthony Ha OpenAI’s Sam Altman says it would be ‘ill-advised’ to go public in 2026 While OpenAI has filed confidentially for an IPO , the company will not be going public this year , according to CEO Sam Altman. Altman was interviewed recently by Fortune editor in chief Alyson Shontell; amidst the fallout from the OpenAI-HuggingFace hack , as well as broader discussions about AI safety , Shontell asked whether OpenAI still feels pressure to “move really fast” due to its IPO plans. “We’re not rushing into an IPO,” Altman said. “I actually think that given everything happening with safety, right now would be an ill-advised moment to go public.” Instead, he insisted that OpenAI will go public “when we’re ready, which is when the business is ready, when we feel ready from what the moment is like in society with this technology.” When pressed on whether that means the IPO isn’t happening in 2026, Altman replied, “I would say not 2026, yeah. We’ve got a lot of stuff to do.” The New York Times reported in June that although OpenAI had hired bankers and lawyers with the goal of going public in the third or fourth quarter of 2026, the company was leaning toward 2027 due to the volatility of tech stocks and its own financial challenges. Topics AI , Fundraising , OpenAI , sam altman October 13 – 15 San Francisco Last day to book an exhibit table is September 18. Don’t miss out on high-impact leads, investor access, and a brand spotlight in Disrupt’s Expo Hall. BOOK NOW Newsletters See More Subscribe for the industry’s biggest tech news TechCrunch Daily News Every weekday and Sunday, you can get the best of TechCrunch’s coverage. TechCrunch Mobility TechCrunch Mobility is your destination for transportation news and insight. Startups Weekly Startups are the core of TechCrunch, so get our best coverage delivered weekly. StrictlyVC Provides movers and shakers with the info they need to start their day. No newsletters selected. Subscribe By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice . Related AI Anthropic CEO outlines plan to slow AI development Anthony Ha 45 minutes ago Security Revolut confirms customer data breach through fake government requests Jagmeet Singh 6 hours ago Robotics Mecka AI nears $500M valuation in Sequoia-led deal amid rush for robot training data Marina Temkin 21 hours ago Latest in AI In Brief OpenAI’s Sam Altman says it would be ‘ill-advised’ to go public in 2026 Anthony Ha 15 seconds ago AI Anthropic CEO outlines plan to slow AI development Anthony Ha 45 minutes ago Robotics Mecka AI nears $500M valuation in Sequoia-led deal amid rush for robot training data Marina Temkin 21 hours ago