New Delhi, June 9 -- OpenAI has announced that it has confidentially submitted a draft S-1 registration statement to the US Securities and Exchange Commission, giving itself the option to pursue an initial public offering in the future.

However, OpenAI was equally clear that an IPO is not imminent.

The statement reveals a company attempting to balance two competing realities: the need for future financial flexibility and the operational freedom that comes with remaining private.

A confidential S-1 filing does not commit a company to listing its shares publicly. Instead, it allows management teams to begin discussions with regulators and prepare for a potential market debut without immediately disclosing detailed financial information....