Key Takeaways
- OpenAI is not a publicly traded company, so you cannot invest in the company at the present moment.
- Rumors have shown that OpenAI is planning to go public in 2026.
- There are many other AI companies that are publicly traded, so you can invest there instead.
OpenAI has become a staple of the tech industry over the last few years, thanks to the vast, expansive popularity of ChatGPT. As a result, many are itching to invest in the AI company. But is it even possible?
Unfortunately, OpenAI isn’t a publicly traded company as of May 2026, which means that investing will have to wait. The good news is that there are rumors that the company could go public very soon, so you’ll just need to bide your time.
Even better news, OpenAI isn’t the only AI company out there, and there are quite a few alternatives that are ready and raring to accept your investment.
Can You Invest in OpenAI?
OpenAI is a privately held company as of writing, which means that everyday people are not able to invest in the AI venture just yet.
This is likely a big bummer to those interested in investing, particularly because the company has seen such substantial growth over the last few years, which has been fueled by massive investments from other tech companies like Microsoft and NVIDIA.
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However, despite its popularity — or even because of it — OpenAI isn’t exactly making money just yet. In fact, OpenAI lost $11.5 billion last quarter, according to analysis of Microsoft earnings by The Register.
Does OpenAI Have Plans to Go Public?
While there has been no official word from OpenAI about the company’s plans to go public in the future, there has been plenty of speculation about the possibility.
It started with a late-2025 report from Reuters, which found that “three people familiar with the matter” said OpenAI is paving the way for an initial public offering (IPO) as early as the second half of 2026.
By May 2026, several more reports indicated that OpenAI could be just weeks away from filing to go public: CNBC said on May 20 that the company might be filing a draft of its IPO prospectus as soon as Friday, May 22.
OpenAI is still playing it close to the chest, with a spokesperson not willing to divulge the plans in an official quote.
“An IPO is not our focus, so we could not possibly have set a date. We are building a durable business and advancing our mission so everyone benefits from AGI.” – OpenAI spokesperson
AI Companies That Are Publicly Traded
If you’re really itching to start investing in companies like OpenAI, we’ve got good news for you. There are plenty of AI-focused companies that are publicly traded on the stock market that you can whet your appetite with.
The most notable is NVIDIA. The company, which produces chips for AI companies around the world, has seen a meteoric rise over the last few years thanks to the AI boom. Just this week, the company became the first $5 trillion company in human history.
On top of that, all the big tech companies you’ve come to know are heavily invested in AI, and you can always invest in them. Microsoft, Alphabet, Meta, Apple, and Amazon are all pivoting to AI in some capacity, while other heavy hitters like IBM, Adobe, and Oracle are also viable options.
