For the evaluation OpenAI and its investors would target, they would need pretty great ones. But another thing is that they'd also need to look good relative to anthropic, who is also looking at an IPO.

Not sure if their plan for it has changed,but OpenAI would always be measured against them. And my understanding is that anthropic is said to have better financials while having raised less investment money so far.

There is only so much liquidity for IPOs and SpaceX already vacuumed up a lot. If both openai and and anthropic would IPO as an option for investors to buy into a pure play, I assume everyone would compare the two and go for the perceived winner (or want a good discount for the second best)