# Altman: no OpenAI IPO in 2026

> OpenAI filed confidentially for an IPO, but its CEO says going public right now would be a bad idea.
- Title: Altman: no OpenAI IPO in 2026 · TechCrunch | Shortify
- Summary: OpenAI filed confidentially for an IPO, but its CEO says going public right now would be a bad idea. OpenAI's IPO is paperwork in motion, not a 2026 event…
- Keywords: openai, ipo, sam altman, ai safety, fundraising, technology, startups, Altman, 2026, TechCrunch
- Source: TechCrunch — https://techcrunch.com/2026/09/12/openais-sam-altman-says-it-would-be-ill-advised-to-go-public-in-2026
- Author: Anthony Ha
- Published: 2026-09-12T20:19:16+00:00
- Read time: 1 min
- Topics: openai, ipo, sam altman, ai safety, fundraising, technology, startups
## Filed, but not going
OpenAI has filed confidentially for an IPO. CEO Sam Altman says the company still will not go public this year.
## The question that prompted it
Fortune's Alyson Shontell asked whether IPO plans were pushing OpenAI to move really fast, with the OpenAI-HuggingFace hack and AI safety fresh in the air.
## Wrong moment to list
Altman said the safety situation makes a public offering a bad bet right now, and that OpenAI is not rushing.

> given everything happening with safety, right now would be an ill-advised moment to go public
## Ready means two things
Altman set the bar as business readiness plus how society is handling the technology, not a date on a banker's calendar.

> when we're ready, which is when the business is ready
## Not 2026, he says
Pressed on whether that ruled out this year, Altman was direct about the timing and the work still ahead.

> I would say not 2026, yeah. We've got a lot of stuff to do.
## The 2027 drift
The New York Times reported in June that OpenAI had hired bankers and lawyers for a Q3 or Q4 2026 listing, then leaned toward 2027 amid stock volatility and its own financial strain.
## Key takeaway

OpenAI's IPO is paperwork in motion, not a 2026 event. Safety fallout and shaky tech stocks pushed the timeline toward 2027.