OpenAI will not go public in 2026, CEO Sam Altman said in a Fortune interview published Saturday, Sep 12, citing AI safety concerns. “I actually think that, given everything happening with safety, right now would be an ill-advised moment to go public, and we don’t feel pressure on that,” Altman told Fortune’s Alyson Shontell. Pressed on whether 2026 is off the table, he replied: “I would say not 2026.”
Separately Saturday, Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei published “We Must Pace the Frontier,” arguing labs must slow the pace of AI capability gains. Altman said he agrees on pacing the frontier; Elon Musk said “Dario is right.” Altman suggested leading AI firms may be close to announcing a safety pact; no signed multi-lab deal is locked.
OpenAI will list when the business and society are ready for the technology, Altman said. Anthropic’s IPO marketing remains on a separate track, Reuters noted.
Sources: Fortune (Sat Sep 12 interview; not 2026; ill-advised quote; readiness; Alyson Shontell); Reuters / Lisa Baertlein (wire lock of Fortune quotes; Altman X agree; Anthropic IPO path separate); Dario Amodei essay “We Must Pace the Frontier” (darioamodei.com; Sep 2026); BBC (Altman and Musk public support).
