OpenAI Says It Could Slow AI Development as 2027 IPO Plans Stay on Track
Updated
Updated · Quartz · Sep 16
OpenAI Says It Could Slow AI Development as 2027 IPO Plans Stay on Track
3 articles · Updated · Quartz · Sep 16
Summary
Sarah Friar said OpenAI would slow frontier AI work if researchers judge that safety risks require it, adding the company would follow technical guidance even if that means pausing progress.
Friar said a slowdown would not undermine OpenAI's business case because existing AI capability is already substantial, and investment decisions would still need to clear a strong return threshold.
The remarks land amid a widening safety debate after a former Anthropic researcher warned of catastrophic harm; Anthropic CEO Dario Amodei, OpenAI CEO Sam Altman and Elon Musk have all recently backed slower development.
Jensen Huang argued this week that speed and safety are not inherently in conflict and that market forces already provide guardrails, while Altman has called for federal frontier-AI standards and Trump has dismissed cautionary warnings.
On financing, Friar said OpenAI has a strong balance sheet and will choose its own listing timeline; CNBC reported she told employees the company remains on track for a 2027 IPO.