OpenAI CFO says blue tsunami ‘didn’t dramatically change’ IPO plans

The 2026 midterms haven't changed OpenAI's IPO plans, OpenAI chief financial authoritative Sarah Friar says.

"Look, we are paid as operators to oversee scenarios," Friar stated on Friday during a live discussion on CNBC. "I don't think there was item that dramatically changed for us."

Friar referred rear to OpenAI's former plans to mark an IPO sometime next year. All eyes are on Anthropic, OpenAI's chief rival, and whether it volition forge onward alongside an IPO, perchance as shortly as this month.

Democrats turned in a generational-level rout of Republicans in the midterm elections, not lone flipping authority of Congress but coming into the new twelvemonth alongside fit majorities. At the province level, Democratic candidates flipped governorships in Texas, Georgia, and Ohio following operating on promises of reining in new data center development.

Friar stated OpenAI, which is trying to rebrand data centers as "compute campuses," volition continue to allocate in the sprawling accommodation that are chief to the two OpenAI and the broader AI industry's future.

"When I think concerning the midterms, I need to keep thinking concerning how do we keep investing to encounter that client demand," she said. "It starts first alongside having built relationships alongside all of the hyperscalers, and it volition continue to average that we lift capital."

On Thursday, OpenAI announced what it called "a new norm for liable AI infrastructure." Under its pledge, OpenAI stated it would pay the complete disbursal of the power it uses and any necessary grid improvements, do distant alongside non-disclosure agreements alongside community officials (with narrow exceptions), and publish data on the jobs it expects to create.

"If the midterm method additional concentration on data centers and communities, we're going to keep doing the activity to enter those communities and to build rely alongside them," she said.

Friar stated that OpenAI's endeavor remains healthy. She stated that in the third quarter, OpenAI's income grew 70%, including a doubling of its endeavor sales. She stated that OpenAI's latest personal backing circular is at a $1.25 milliard pre-money valuation, although she apt misspoke and meant $1.25 trillion. In March, OpenAI announced that it had closed a backing circular at an $852 milliard post-money valuation.

"I genuinely think that is a fine sign of our Q3 momentum and how that momentum carries into 2027," Friar said.

Friar stated one logic she's enthusiastic for an IPO is since a market debut would be in row alongside OpenAI's goal to justify synthetic intellect for all.

"I personally awareness extremely driven to put that financial value innovation that's happening into as many hands as we can," she said. "Like, why should it fair be constricted to institutions?"