OpenAI Plans 2027 IPO With Possibility of Earlier Debut

OpenAI Chief Financial Officer Sarah Friar announced to employees that the company plans to go public in 2027, marking a significant step for the AI giant while emphasizing it could come sooner if business growth continues. The timeline was shared during an allhands meeting on August 19, 2026, according to reports citing people familiar with the remarks.

Friar framed the initial public offering not as a finish line but as another fundraising milestone, pointing to the $122 billion the company raised in March 2026 at a valuation of $852 billion as providing flexibility on timing. OpenAI confidentially filed its S-1 prospectus with the Securities and Exchange Commission in June 2026 but had not previously disclosed a public listing date. The announcement suggests that a potential late-2026 debut, once internally discussed, has been shelved in favor of the longer timeline.

The statement also addressed growing competitive pressure. Friar told staff not to be concerned if rival AI firm Anthropic, which has also filed confidentially, reveals its prospectus and goes public first, possibly as early as September 2026. "We are running our own race," she said. This acknowledgment comes as...