OpenAI has announced a set of commitments for communities where it is developing data center projects. The company says it will not use non-disclosure agreements with public officials, and it has also pledged to cover the electricity and infrastructure costs tied to its operations.
More public discussion around projects
Data center proposals have faced scrutiny over the use of NDAs in discussions between developers and local officials. Critics have argued that such agreements can keep those conversations hidden from the public.
OpenAI says its policy will allow only narrow protections for legitimate security information, trade secrets, or information that is proprietary or competitively sensitive. The change is intended to make engagement with public officials more open while preserving limited confidentiality for certain information.
The announcement follows a week of midterm elections in which voters voiced opposition to data center expansion. It also comes after Amazon said in October that it would no longer use NDAs with government agencies involved in its data center projects.
Promises on power and infrastructure
OpenAI says it will pay the full cost of the electricity it uses, along with the infrastructure needed to serve its projects. Those commitments address two areas that matter to communities considering large data center developments: the cost of operating the facilities and the systems required to support them.
The company’s statement links those costs to its own needs. That gives local communities a clearer description of what OpenAI says it will take responsibility for as it builds and operates these projects.
Local jobs and community agreements
OpenAI also says it will publish the jobs it expects each project to create and report on hiring. Sharing those expectations can give communities information about the employment opportunities associated with a project, while hiring reports can show how recruitment is progressing.
For every future “compute campus” that OpenAI owns and operates, the company says it will establish a local compact. The agreement will include its commitments and reflect local priorities. OpenAI uses “compute campus” as a new term for its data centers.
What the commitments cover
Taken together, the commitments address transparency, operating costs, infrastructure, employment, and local input. They set out areas where OpenAI says it will make obligations visible to communities involved in its data center projects.
- No NDAs with public officials, apart from narrow protections for specified sensitive information.
- Payment of the full electricity cost and the infrastructure needed to serve OpenAI.
- Publication of expected jobs and reporting on hiring.
- A local compact for each future compute campus the company owns and operates.
The announcement describes a broad framework, while leaving the details of each local compact to reflect the priorities of the community involved. How those agreements are applied will shape what the commitments mean in individual project locations.