OpenAI Confidentially Files For IPO, Joining Anthropic Race
Confidential SEC filing opens option to go public and follows Anthropic's June 1 disclosure; OpenAI was last valued at about $852 billion.
Overview
OpenAI filed confidential paperwork with the U.S. Securities and Exchange Commission to pursue an initial public offering, the company said.
The filing follows Anthropic's June 1 disclosure that it is also moving toward an IPO, adding to a group of major AI firms preparing for public market debuts.
OpenAI said "We expect it to leak so we're just announcing it," and CEO Sam Altman published a statement outlining goals including an automated AI researcher and a "personal AGI."
OpenAI was valued at about $852 billion, has around 900 million weekly active users, and in late March secured $122 billion in a funding round, according to reports.
The company said it has not decided on timing and may delay; it plans a tender offer for employees and has worked with banks including Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley.
Analysis
Center-leaning sources frame the IPO as part of a high-stakes AI investment race, emphasizing competition, sky-high valuations, and legal or user-safety risks. Editorial choices—loaded phrases ('mega-IPOs', 'race'), early Anthropic/SpaceX comparisons, highlighted missed targets and lawsuits, and curated CFO/press statements—steer readers toward urgency and investor-focused stakes.