OpenAI signals IPO within a year as Altman sets timeline

09:09

By: Dakir Madiha

OpenAI signals IPO within a year as Altman sets timeline

OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman told employees that the company expects to go public within about a year. The statement marks the clearest timeline yet for an initial public offering that could rank among the largest in tech history. The move follows a confidential filing of a draft registration statement with US regulators, a required step before any public listing.

The company is targeting a valuation that could reach 1 trillion dollars at the time of its listing. Its most recent private valuation stood at 852 billion dollars following a funding round completed in March 2026. Major Wall Street banks, including Goldman Sachs, Morgan Stanley, and JPMorgan Chase, are expected to play central roles in the process.

OpenAI is also preparing a near-term share buyback program priced at 687.69 dollars per share. The program would allow employees to sell part of their holdings before any public market debut. The initiative reflects growing pressure to provide liquidity for staff in a company whose value has risen sharply through successive private funding rounds.

Despite the accelerated planning, the company has signaled uncertainty over timing. Executives have acknowledged that certain technical and strategic milestones could be easier to achieve while remaining private. One area of concern involves advanced artificial intelligence systems capable of recursive self-improvement, a development that could significantly alter both product capabilities and regulatory scrutiny.

Competitive pressure is also shaping the backdrop to the listing strategy. Rival AI developers are moving toward public markets while advancing their own large-scale systems. Internal debate has also surfaced over readiness for a public listing, alongside financial strain linked to heavy investment in computing infrastructure and research, with projected revenues of 34 billion dollars in 2026 still accompanied by operating losses.

The planned listing places OpenAI in a broader race among leading technology firms seeking access to public capital markets during a period of rapid artificial intelligence expansion.