OpenAI IPO Delayed to 2027 as Company Focuses on Self-Learning AI
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman has told employees that the company’s IPO is postponed to 2027, calling the previously filed prospectus a maneuver to preserve tactical flexibility. Employees were offered a share buyback at $687.69 per share as an alternative liquidity option. Altman cited progress in self-learning AI development as the reason for the delay, arguing the company is safer remaining private during a period of unpredictable technological change. An additional factor is Anthropic’s upcoming stock listing, which shows stronger growth metrics while OpenAI continues burning capital. The company plans to release a new model internally indexed as 5.6 in June, seen as a significant step forward from GPT-5.5.
In a September 2026 interview with Fortune, Altman reinforced the position, stating that going public now is an “ill-advised moment” due to safety concerns. He argued that Wall Street pressure is incompatible with rigorous AI model oversight: developing AGI requires months-long architecture audits and the willingness to freeze releases when threats are detected. As a public company, such delays could trigger shareholder lawsuits for lost value. OpenAI will continue financing compute capacity through private funding rounds and strategic partnerships to preserve autonomy over risk management.