Altman Responds to Anthropic Filing IPO: Public Listing Merely a Fundraising Event, Unconcerned with Specific Timing

According to the intelligence firm Beating Alerts, during an interview on CNBC's "Power Lunch" program, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman responded to competitor Anthropic's preemptive confidential submission of an S-1 registration statement draft.

Reportedly, OpenAI was also actively preparing a confidential S-1 filing and had hired Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley as joint underwriters, with the initial plan to submit by the end of May 2026 at the earliest, aiming for a public listing in the fall of 2026. However, Anthropic made a surprise announcement of its confidential filing for a direct listing on June 1, seizing a lead position in the capital market standoff, sparking speculation about whether OpenAI's progress would be hindered or surpassed.

During the interview, Altman downplayed the competition among large model manufacturers in the IPO process, publicly stating that going public is merely a financing event, and the company will not focus on specific timing for the IPO. Altman emphasized that the real competition in the industry lies in delivering cutting-edge technology and building a business model, rather than the IPO race itself. Regarding OpenAI's own IPO process, Altman revealed that the company will not adjust its pace in response to competitors' actions, opting to proceed with the listing at the right time.