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OpenAI CFO Rules Out Near‑Term IPO, Clarifies No Request for U.S. Loan Backstop

The company signals reliance on private capital as it scales compute capacity.

Overview

  • Sarah Friar told The Wall Street Journal’s Tech Live event that an IPO is not on the cards, reinforcing a focus on growth over near‑term public listing.
  • After discussing an ecosystem that could include a federal guarantee, Friar later clarified in posts on LinkedIn and X that OpenAI is not seeking a government backstop or loan guarantees.
  • CNBC reported OpenAI has signed more than $1.4 trillion in infrastructure agreements in recent months, with separate reports citing large arrangements involving Oracle and SoftBank.
  • Friar said government guarantees would theoretically lower borrowing costs and expand lender participation by protecting creditors in a default, but she emphasized the company is not asking for such support.
  • OpenAI’s previously cited annual revenue run‑rate was roughly $13 billion, with CEO Sam Altman saying it is now well above that figure, highlighting the gap between current income and the scale of planned compute buildout.