OpenAI pledges to halt NDAs in new data center policy proposal after election rebuke

OpenAI reaffirmed its promise to pay the full cost of powering data centers as part of a series of commitments the company published Thursday, two days after voters at the polls roundly rejected the rapid expansion of AI.

The artificial intelligence company said in its commitments that for data centers it owns and operates, it will solicit community input, publish construction plans and stay away from using non-disclosure agreements with public officials. Additionally, in a policy blueprint, OpenAI encouraged policymakers to enact similar commitments as laws.

"What we're doing with this blueprint is really laying out the best lessons that we have learned and committing to applying them as they go forward," OpenAI Chief Global Affairs Officer Chris Lehane told reporters during a Wednesday briefing. "This will help ensure that there is a very high floor in terms of how people move forward."

On Tuesday, Americans issued a stinging rebuke of data centers at the polls. Out of 41 local ballot measures across 10 states, voters backed restrictions or rejected pro-development measures for all but one, according to an analysis by Ballotpedia and additional results gathered by CNBC on Wednesday.

Opposition to AI data centers mounted swiftly over the summer across both sides of the political aisle. Consumers grappling with inflation, rising grocery prices and stubbornly high prices at the pump grew worried that the facilities could exacerbate environmental harms, raise utility bills and contribute to job loss. For many, they became a physical manifestation of the widespread antipathy and anxiety around AI.

AI companies like OpenAI depend on AI data centers to serve customers and develop new models, and they're seeking to build out as rapidly as possible to meet demand. In February, OpenAI told investors that it's targeting $600 billion in total compute spend by 2030, and the company has since announced massive data center projects in Georgia and Ohio.

OpenAI has repeatedly pledged to protect ratepayers and invest in local communities this year, and Lehane said the company's latest commitments build on many of its previous initiatives. He said the policy blueprint has been in the works since August, and that he met with dozens of lawmakers and candidates since then.

"Having these conversations now actually helps put more energy into the momentum, so that when people come back in late January, new Congress is in in session, a lot of the work is being done in advance," Lehane said.