OpenAI Defers IPO Plans Amid Soaring Compute Costs; Anthropic Advances November Public Offering

OpenAI is projecting $856 billion in compute spending through 2030 while delaying its public market debut, citing AI safety concerns—a stark contrast with rival Anthropic's imminent IPO plans. Sam Altman said in September that going public in 2026 would be "ill-advised" given the industry's unresolved safety and alignment challenges, suggesting 2027 as a more plausible timeline. The timing reflects a broader reckoning within the AI sector: massive capital requirements clash with mounting calls for caution.