OpenAI has finally put a date on its stock market debut. The company “will be a public company in 2027,” or sooner if its business keeps growing fast, chief financial officer Sarah Friar told staff at an all-hands meeting. CNBC reported the comments, citing two people familiar with them.
Friar tried to play down the whole milestone. “The IPO is not a finish line, it is a milestone, another fundraise,” she said, according to CNBC. She noted that OpenAI raised $122bn in March, which she said gives it flexibility on timing. In other words, the company does not need the cash an IPO would raise, so it can pick its moment.
OpenAI confidentially filed its listing paperwork with US regulators back in June, but has not said publicly when it will float. Its main rival, Anthropic, has also filed confidentially and could go public as soon as September.
OpenAI had earlier signalled it might hold off until 2027 to chase a higher price, and Friar’s comment now puts that timing on the record.
Trying to calm nerves
