# OpenAI completes $7 billion employee share buyback, weighs IPO 2026-08-12T07:53:36+00:00 | World & Diplomacy | Indian Opinion Desk Corroboration: 1 independent outlet OpenAI has completed a nearly $7 billion employee share buyback, the company itself funding the purchase from current and former staff, Bloomberg reports. The deal leaves OpenAI's valuation unchanged at $852 billion. The buyback follows a $6.6 billion tender offer in October at a $500 billion valuation and a $1.5 billion one in 2024, as the AI firm moves closer to a potential IPO. OpenAI filed its prospectus confidentially with the US SEC in June but has not committed to a listing date. Reports cite PitchBook saying CFO Sarah Friar favoured waiting until 2027, while CEO Sam Altman pushed for a September 2026 debut at a $1 trillion valuation. Market conditions, including SpaceX's anticipated public listing, could influence the final timing. ## Coverage - timesnownews.com Tags: Artificial intelligence, employee shares, IPO, OpenAI, Sam Altman, share buyback Canonical: https://indianopinion.org/openai-completes-7-billion-employee-share-buyback-weighs-ipo/ License: Summary and commentary (c) Indian Opinion, reusable with attribution. Facts belong to the linked sources. Cite: https://indianopinion.org/openai-completes-7-billion-employee-share-buyback-weighs-ipo/#story-in-brief Review state: restored archive article, accurate at time of publication, not offered to search indexes.