OpenAI CEO Sam Altman said the company will not pursue an initial public offering (IPO) in 2026, arguing that it is not under pressure to go public before its business and the broader social response to advanced AI are ready. He tied the decision to safety and alignment, the process of ensuring AI systems behave as intended, as well as cooperation among the industry and governments. The New York Times reported in June that OpenAI was considering delaying an IPO that could value it at $1 trillion. Altman’s comments come amid concerns over rogue AI agents, criticism from a former Anthropic researcher, and new safety measures announced by Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei. Altman also indicated that OpenAI and other leading AI companies could announce an agreement to slow AI development and that OpenAI has discussed pausing progress at new capability thresholds to allow more time for safety work.