OpenAI issues new data center policies after midterm elections
OpenAI issued a new set of data center policies on Thursday, just days after a midterm election landslide for Democrats, many of whom voiced concern about potential negative impact from the facilities.
The ChatGPT-maker said it would abide by fresh commitments, including a vow to pay for all electricity and infrastructure used at its facilities.
It will create a "water plan" for each location as part of an effort to "protect local resources," the artificial intelligence company said.
Meanwhile, the practice of establishing non-disclosure agreements with public officials will largely end, OpenAI said, except for a narrow set of exceptions focused on security or trade secrets.
Each data center will form a "local compact" with the nearby community to address issues specific in a given area and improve transparency, according to the company.
OpenAI also committed to provide "sustainable investments" in support of neighboring communities, such as funding for free school lunches or improved childcare offerings. To help local residents secure jobs generated by its data center projects, OpenAI will work with training providers in the area, the company said.
"Building more computing infrastructure capacity in the United States can help lower the cost of delivering AI, put these tools in more people's hands, and ensure America stays at the forefront of the technology," OpenAI said in a blog post. "The communities that host this infrastructure should have a clear say in shaping their futures, too."
The company also urged policymakers at the state, local and federal level to "establish clear rules for how the industry builds."
"New policy is required to establish trust and confidence between communities, elected officials and companies," OpenAI added.
The announcement came after a Democratic landslide in the midterm elections on Tuesday catapulted the party's Senate and gubernatorial candidates to statewide victories in Republican strongholds like Ohio and Texas, both of which play host to a number of AI data centers.
About 6 in 10 House voters nationally said AI is a bad thing for society and about three-quarters oppose the construction of new data centers in their communities, according to the ABC News Voter Poll.
A joint data center project between OpenAI and Oracle in Saline, Michigan, for instance, drew backlash from some local residents concerned about impact on the area's power grid and water supply, Reuters reported in July.
In a statement about the project in June, OpenAI said: "From the beginning, our goal has been to build infrastructure in a way that does right by the people and communities helping make it possible."
Oracle expressed a similar sentiment about the project in September. "We know a project of this scale comes with responsibilities. We are committed to meeting them by protecting local natural resources, paying our own way for the energy infrastructure required to serve the campus, and investing in the community where we will operate for decades," the company said in a statement.
Ahead of the midterms, President Donald Trump stressed his strong support for them, saying they could help enrich communities and assist in the United States' effort to defeat China in the global AI race.
Many candidates, mostly Democrats, criticized the data centers, citing potential strain on local water systems and high residential utility bills as a result of increased demand, among other concerns.
Texas Governor-elect Gina Hinajosa, a Democratic state representative, made opposition to data center construction a central part of her race against incumbent Republican Gov. Greg Abbott.
Hinojosa, who won by 7 percentage points, told ABC News last month she supports a moratorium on new construction, stricter regulations on water and power usage and an end to tax breaks. She has criticized Abbott for signing tax breaks for data centers and promoting the industry's growth.
Texas hasn't elected a Democratic governor since Ann Richards in 1990.
ABC News' Emily Guskin and Diana Paulsen contributed to this report.
