
OpenAI barrels toward IPO that may happen in September
A day after Elon Musk lost his lawsuit that threatened OpenAI's structure, leadership, and finances, OpenAI is reportedly back to prepping for its IPO.
OpenAI barrels toward IPO that may happen in September | TechCrunch
–:–:–:–
The first StrictlyVC of 2026 hits SF on April 30. Tickets are going fast. Register now.
Get Disrupt Early Bird savings of up to $410 by May 29, 11:59 p.m. PT. Register now.
Close
In Brief
Posted:
10:24 AM PDT · May 20, 2026
Image Credits:Nathan Howard/Bloomberg / Getty Images
Julie Bort
OpenAI barrels toward IPO that may happen in September
A day after Elon Musk lost his lawsuit that threatened OpenAI’s structure, leadership, and finances, the AI giant is ready to move forward with its initial public offering, sources told the Wall Street Journal.
OpenAI chief executive Sam Altman reportedly hopes that his company will be ready to go public by September. The ChatGPT maker has been working with tech IPO powerhouse bankers Goldman Sachs and Morgan Stanley, and may file IPO paperwork confidentially with regulators within days or weeks, per the WSJ.
The news of OpenAI’s potential IPO, which by all accounts should be a blockbuster, comes as the world awaits the public disclosure of SpaceX’s IPO filings, which are expected to appear as soon as Wednesday, according to reports. Rocket-maker SpaceX is, of course, now one of OpenAI’s major competitors, after it consumed Elon Musk’s model maker, xAI.
Now that Musk failed to skewer OpenAI, the competitor he co-founded, through the heart with a lawsuit, it looks like the next Musk vs. Altman battle will take place in the world of finance. Which one will be the bigger IPO?
OpenAI did not immediately respond to a request for comment.
Topics AI, Elon Musk, In Brief, IPOs, OpenAI, sam altman, Startups
May 27 Athens, Greece StrictlyVC Athens is up next. Hear unfiltered insights straight from Europe’s tech leaders and connect with the people shaping what’s ahead. Lock in your spot before it’s gone.
REGISTER NOW
Newsletters See More Subscribe for the industry’s biggest tech news TechCrunch Daily News Every weekday and Sunday, you can get the best of TechCrunch’s coverage. TechCrunch Mobility TechCrunch Mobility is your destination for transportation news and insight. Startups Weekly Startups are the core of TechCrunch, so get our best coverage delivered weekly. StrictlyVC Provides movers and shakers with the info they need to start their day. No newsletters selected. Subscribe By submitting your email, you agree to our Terms and Privacy Notice.
Related
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026
5 days left: Save up to $410 on TechCrunch Disrupt 2026 passes before prices increase TechCrunch Events 20 hours ago
Hardware
Xreal, Google’s smartglasses partner, thinks it has finally mastered this notoriously tricky industry Lucas Ropek 2 days ago
Transportation
TechCrunch Mobility: Robotaxi reality check Kirsten Korosec 2 days ago
Latest in Startups
AI
What ClickUp’s mass layoff tells us about the future of work Marina Temkin 18 hours ago
Startups
The pitch trick that helped an eSports startup raise $20M when VCs only wanted AI Julie Bort 19 hours ago
TechCrunch Disrupt 2026
Startup Battlefield 200 applications close in days: Apply before May 27 TechCrunch Events 20 hours ago
📰Originally published at techcrunch.com
Staff Writer
Related Articles
Uber and Lyft drivers in Massachusetts certify the nation’s first ride-hailing union
May 26, 2026·5 min read
Why are big AI companies embedding engineers with customers, and what does that mean?
May 26, 2026·9 min read
How this wearable AI technology is helping NBA, NHL and athletes everywhere prevent injuries
May 26, 2026·5 min read