Altman says OpenAI will delay IPO until it can confidently navigate AI safety at scale.
Following·New·first covered 30 Sep 2026·2 sources
OpenAI Delays IPO on Safety Grounds as Revenue Nears $70B ARR
The gist
A company approaching $70 billion in annualized revenue is delaying a public offering on explicit safety grounds, creating an unusual tension between financial scale and stated mission constraints. The gap between the current $852 billion valuation and the implied $1.4 trillion target for the planned raise reflects rapid business growth alongside unresolved questions about when, if ever, public market accountability will apply.
The full picture
CEO Sam Altman said OpenAI will not pursue an IPO while AI capabilities are advancing rapidly, stating the company will wait until it can confidently scale to the next phase of AI without public doubt about its safety practices. Altman also said it would be bad for the world if OpenAI waits too long to go public. Separately, OpenAI's annualized revenue run rate neared $70 billion following more than 70% growth since the start of Q3, and the company plans to raise $30 billion at a $1.4 trillion valuation. OpenAI is currently valued at approximately $852 billion.
How it developed
Sources
Ars Technica AI
The Neuron
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