Sam Altman offers no clarity on OpenAI IPO, says he’s “0% excited” to lead a public company
CE DESK 
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman reveals “0% excitement” for leading a public company amid IPO speculation, prioritizing AI innovation over market pressures in recent podcast
Sam Altman Offers No Clarity on OpenAI IPO, Says He’s “0% Excited” to Lead a Public Company
OpenAI CEO Sam Altman recently expressed zero enthusiasm for steering a publicly traded company, amid growing speculation about an initial public offering (IPO). In a candid podcast appearance, Altman stated, “Am I excited to be a public company CEO? 0%,” while acknowledging the practical need for massive capital to fuel AI development. Despite reports of early IPO groundwork targeting a $830 billion to $1 trillion valuation and a potential 2026-2027 listing, he provided no firm timeline or commitment.
Altman highlighted the benefits of remaining private longer, noting OpenAI’s recent restructuring from nonprofit to for-profit status, which reduced Microsoft’s stake to 27% and unlocked new partnerships. The company faces intense competition, prompting internal “code reds”—urgent sprints like the recent eight-week push that accelerated GPT-5.2 and new image models against rivals such as Google’s Gemini 3.
This stance underscores Altman’s focus on innovation over public market pressures, as OpenAI eyes trillions in AI infrastructure spend. Yet, shareholder limits and funding demands suggest an IPO looms inevitable, balancing growth with autonomy
