OpenAI kicks off charm offensive to change voters' view of data centers

Amidst stunning Democratic victories in the recent US midterm elections, many have interpreted the results as a rejection of tech industry plans to construct data centers nationwide. In response, AI lab OpenAI has launched new initiatives aimed at fostering trust within local communities and convincing them of the potential benefits of data centers. On Thursday, OpenAI unveiled policies, developed since August, designed to improve community relations and promote the positive impact of data centers.

The company announced it will no longer employ non-disclosure agreements with public officials during negotiations or discussions about prospective sites, while still safeguarding proprietary information. Residents will also have access to construction plans and their anticipated effects on traffic, noise, and lighting. OpenAI's Chief Global Affairs Officer, Chris Lehane, emphasized that these centers would foster ongoing employment opportunities due to the necessity of updating hardware within the data center every three to five years.

Lehane told reporters, "These projects are not the conventional data centers that most people envision – they're not the black boxes in pastures that fail to contribute economically to the communities they inhabit."

One OpenAI facility in southern Ohio is projected to generate 2,500 long-term jobs with an average annual salary of $80,000, he stated. Collaborations with entities such as Oracle are primarily responsible for developing and owning a significant portion of OpenAI's data center infrastructure, with capacity specifically allocated to the startup.

In some of the most significant election outcomes, Democrats overturned governorships in Texas, Georgia, and Ohio, defeating candidates who had vowed to suspend new data center permits and impose stricter construction regulations. Of the 41 data center-related ballot measures cast during the week, all but one opposed data centers, according to Ballotpedia.

Data center operators and power companies, which have reaped substantial benefits from the AI construction boom, witnessed a decline in their stock prices on Wednesday. Investors speculated that a Democratic sweep might lead to stricter permitting, escalated costs, and a deceleration in construction. OpenAI President Greg Brockman remarked at a separate event on Wednesday, "We need to do a better job of truly communicating to people, to local communities, why data centers can be advantageous to them."

OpenAI officials, alongside many of their counterparts in the tech industry, have devoted the past two years to cultivating relationships with the administration of US President Donald Trump, aiming to shape federal AI policy. OpenAI CEO Sam Altman contributed $1 million to Trump's inaugural committee and attended his second inauguration.

Last year, Brockman donated $25 million personally to a Trump super PAC. When queried about addressing skepticism from certain Democrats, Lehane drew upon his extensive experience within the party. During the Clinton administration, he served as a top lawyer and spokesperson and was press secretary for Vice President Al Gore during his presidential campaign.