Growing local opposition to data centers has pushed OpenAI to change how it deals with public officials. Following recent midterm elections where voters strongly voiced resistance to data center expansion, the ChatGPT maker announced that it will stop using non-disclosure agreements with government representatives when planning new facilities.
Non-disclosure agreements, or NDAs, have faced widespread scrutiny for allowing tech developers to keep discussions with local officials private. OpenAI stated that it will now allow only narrow protections strictly covering legitimate security information, trade secrets, or proprietary and competitively sensitive details. The shift follows a similar policy adopted in October by Amazon, which also ended NDAs with government agencies for its data center projects.
Alongside limiting secrecy deals, OpenAI committed to paying the full cost of the electricity it consumes and the infrastructure needed to serve its projects. The company also promised to share economic opportunities with nearby communities by publishing the jobs it expects to create and reporting on local hiring.
Under the new plan, OpenAI stated that every future "compute campus"—its preferred phrase for data centers—that it owns and operates will have a "local compact." According to the company, these formal agreements will incorporate its community commitments while reflecting local priorities.