The S&P 500 has turned down SpaceX's plea for swift inclusion, much to the chagrin of its CEO. This snub could see AI giants like OpenAI and Anthropic face a longer wait before stock market glory.

SpaceX had hoped for a quick route into major passive investment funds, potentially boosting its valuation by billions. But S&P Dow Jones Indices opted against bending the rules, citing concerns over SpaceX's speculative projects and unprofitable state.

The decision might calm nerves among those worried about exposure to high-risk investments through their retirement savings. Meanwhile, AI firms are grappling with financial challenges as they shift costs onto users via usage-based pricing models.

To consider an expedited entry for SpaceX, S&P proposed waiving several strict rules, including reducing the seasoning period and lowering public share availability requirements. But these changes didn’t sway the index creators.

In a twist of fate, SpaceX's unique circumstances may well have closed off easier paths for other tech heavyweights like OpenAI to join the ranks of mega-cap companies on Wall Street.