OpenAI president says the company could be ready for an IPO in 2027

In short: OpenAI president Greg Brockman said the company could be ready to go public in 2027 as its business sales grow quickly.

What happened

Greg Brockman, OpenAI’s co-founder and president, said OpenAI could be ready for an IPO in 2027. An IPO, or initial public offering, is when a company starts selling shares on a public stock market, like opening ownership to the general investing public.

Brockman made the comments at a Wall Street Journal tech conference. When asked if OpenAI could be IPO-ready next year, he said, “I think so. Yes.” He also said OpenAI wants to go public when the timing feels right for the company.

He described 2026 as a year that started off difficult. Brockman said the first and second quarters were “pretty rough.” He also said OpenAI was not a major player in “agentic coding,” which means AI tools that can do more of the coding work on their own (like a junior programmer that can take on small tasks).

By the third quarter, Brockman said OpenAI saw 70% quarterly growth in its annualized revenue. He linked that to its enterprise business, meaning sales to companies, doubling. He added that most of OpenAI’s revenue now comes from enterprise customers, up from about 30% before. He pointed to a partnership with J.P. Morgan Chase as an example of the kinds of clients it is winning.

Why it matters

If OpenAI does move toward an IPO, it would face more public scrutiny and pressure to show steady growth, not just big ideas. For everyday people, that can affect how quickly OpenAI pushes new products, how it prices business and consumer tools, and how it balances safety, reliability, and profits.

Source: TechCrunch AI