OpenAI will not go public this year: CEO Sam Altman

OpenAI will not go public this year, CEO Sam Altman said in remarks published on Saturday, citing safety concerns over artificial intelligence (AI) that render “unacceptable” even a 10 percent risk that AI could cause human extinction by decade’s end.

The comments come as more US lawmakers urge new rules to govern AI systems after dire warnings from two researchers from OpenAI rival Anthropic PBC that rapidly progressing AI could lead to the extinction of the human race in the not-too-distant future.

“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 said.

OpenAI CEO Sam Altman attends a talk session with SoftBank group Chairman and CEO Masayoshi Son in Tokyo on Feb. 3 last year.

Photo: AFP

Asked if there was a 10 percent chance of AI-driven extinction, Altman said he did not know how such an estimate could be made, but that the risk was serious enough that AI companies and governments should act as though it could not be tolerated.

“Whether it’s 10 or eight or six, the point is, we all have a tremendous amount of responsibility, and cannot let egos or incentives for profit or anything else get in the way,” Altman added. “We need to act such that we are not taking any of those numbers of risk, and I believe we can.”

Politicians have responded with alarm and calls for more action after cases of AI agents going rogue to hack external systems and AI safety researchers quitting their companies out of concern at the technology risks.

Asked if an initial public offering this year was off the table in favor of next year, Altman said: “I would say not 2026. We got a lot of stuff to do, like meeting this moment of what is going to be required for safety and alignment, and how the industry and governments can work together.”