OpenAI CEO says company will postpone IPO to focus on AI safety
OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman announced that the firm will delay its planned initial public offering, citing the need to prioritize safety and alignment of its AI systems before going public.
OpenAI will not pursue an initial public offering this year, its chief executive said, explaining that the company wants to ensure its artificial-intelligence models are safe and aligned with societal expectations before entering the public markets. The firm had confidentially filed an S-1 with the U.S. securities regulator in June but had not set a timeline for the offering.
"We're not rushing into an IPO," Altman told Fortune. "Given everything that's happening with safety, right now would be an ill-advised moment to go public."
Altman added that the decision is driven by the broader context of AI development and regulatory considerations, and that the company expects to remain private while it works on safety measures and collaborates with industry and governments.
"We don't feel pressure on that. We've said for a long time we'll do it when we're ready, which is when the business is ready and when the moment is right in society with this technology," he said.
The CEO also indicated plans to adopt independent third-party evaluations of OpenAI’s systems, similar to proposals from Anthropic, to verify compliance with safety standards.
"Committing to having independent evaluators with employee-like access is a great idea, and we will do the same. We'll have more to share soon," Altman said.
The remarks come amid heightened attention in the AI sector to the potential risks of advanced models, with several researchers warning about long-term safety challenges.