오픈AI, 데이터센터 반대 민심 달래기…“전력 관련 비용 전액 부담”

As Democrats secured victories in the midterm elections, there is speculation that regulations on AI data center construction may become more stringent in the United States. Tech giants, including OpenAI, are taking steps to ease concerns within local communities. On the 5th (local time), OpenAI announced the 'National Community Compact,' which includes the company's commitment to bear the full cost of power usage and the additional power supply infrastructure for its own-owned and operated data centers.

The compact also requires OpenAI to provide financial guarantees to ensure the community is not burdened if the project plans change during the development process. Additionally, OpenAI has proposed setting up a water usage plan for each data center and prioritizing the adoption of water recycling or cooling technologies to reduce water consumption.

The company also pledges to annually disclose job creation figures and collaborate with labor unions and vocational training institutions to prepare local residents for potential job opportunities. OpenAI has also pledged not to require government officials' confidentiality agreements for any information other than legitimate security and business secrets.

This move comes after the company had previously requested data center construction-related information be kept confidential from external parties to avoid community surveillance during the project. Besides the community compact, OpenAI has also proposed government-level regulatory measures, which apply to data center operators like Oracle.

These measures include mandatory obligations for power companies to bear the additional costs incurred by data centers for power consumption, as well as making the conditions of tax benefits provided to companies public, with the possibility of recovering the benefits if companies fail to fulfill their commitments.