OpenAI Eyes $1 Trillion Valuation with 2026 IPO Plans Amid Rising AI Competition
OpenAI is positioning itself for a historic public listing, targeting a $1 trillion valuation by late 2026. The company plans to raise $60 billion in what could become the largest tech IPO ever. Despite the buzz, OpenAI maintains its primary focus remains the development of SAFE and beneficial artificial general intelligence (AGI).
Competitive pressures are emerging as specialized AI models outperform OpenAI's offerings in niche areas. ChatGPT-5 notably underperformed rivals like DeepSeek in a crypto trading challenge, recording a 66% loss. Analysts warn that cheaper, specialized alternatives could erode OpenAI's dominance despite its substantial R&D investments.