OpenAI IPO Push Paused as Altman Calls 2026 Listing Ill-Advised

OpenAI has paused its public listing after Sam Altman said a 2026 IPO would be ill-advised, prioritizing safety and alignment over a potential $1 trillion valuation. He cited governance challenges in OpenAI’s nonprofit/for-profit structure and suggested the industry may coordinate to slow AI development, with 2027 considered a more plausible window for a public listing. Meanwhile, rival Anthropic plans to go public this year with a valuation around $2.3 trillion, underscoring the high-stakes race in AI funding and governance.