OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar says IPO is coming in 2027

Published Aug 20, 12:25 PM UTC

OpenAI CFO Sarah Friar told employees during an all-hands meeting on August 19, 2026, that the company plans to go public in 2027, though it could happen sooner if business continues to improve. She framed the IPO as a milestone and another fundraising event, noting the company raised $122 billion in March. Friar addressed competitor Anthropic potentially going public as early as September, stating OpenAI is 'running our own race.' She presented slides showing strong growth: revenue run rate up 35% quarter to date, enterprise revenue up 50%, and 20 million weekly active users for AI coding products. OpenAI reported $6.7 billion in Q2 revenue (up 18% from Q1) and an annualized revenue run rate of $40 billion. The company confidentially filed its IPO prospectus with the SEC in June and carries a current valuation of $852 billion. Friar's remarks come amid several senior executive departures, including revenue chief Denise Dresser and product head Fidji Simo. OpenAI also completed a $7 billion secondary share sale for employees.