Sam Altman says OpenAI going public in 2026 would be ‘ill-advised’

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman stated the company will not go public through an IPO (initial public offering, where a private company sells shares to the public) in 2026, citing safety concerns as a reason for avoiding a rushed public listing. During an interview, Altman acknowledged that building an AI system beyond human control is theoretically possible, but said OpenAI would take preventive actions including pausing training if necessary to avoid creating uncontrollable AI.